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FCC’s 5G Fund Offers Disappointing, Inefficient Options to Bring Critical Mobile Broadband Services to Needed Areas
Apr 23, 2020
Washington, DC - Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) approved its draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the 5G Fund, which offers two options for distributing up to $9 billion in funding to help bring 5G to rural communities. Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) appreciates the FCC’s work to bring 5G services to areas still in need, but is very concerned that the two options offer a false choice and do not meet Congress’ directive in the recently-enacted Broadband DATA Act.
“The FCC’s decision today is nothing short of disappointing,” said Steven K. Berry, President & CEO of CCA. “There is no reason why we should limit ourselves to two inadequate options; we can, and should, do both – collect reliable data and distribute much-needed funds to areas in-need. At a time when consumers and businesses are more dependent on broadband services than ever before, we should be exploring every option to accelerate deployment of mobile broadband as quickly as possible.”
“Rather than limiting ourselves to two false options, the FCC should focus on updating their data collection in line with the parameters contained in the Broadband DATA Act, as directed by Congress. Every Member of Congress knows the areas of their district that do and do not have sufficient service, and this important legislation was enacted to help address this real dilemma. In this day-and-age, mobile broadband is no longer a ‘nice to have’ but an essential component of everyday life. Competitive carriers are working tirelessly every day to provide the most robust services to their consumers, but it is very concerning that the FCC’s decision does not present the best path forward to deploying next-generation technologies as quickly as possible. The most encouraging element of the discussion today was that Commissioners O’Rielly, Rosenworcel, and Starks all expressed concerns about actions that might ignore Congressional statutory direction. We appreciate the FCC’s focus on this issue, and CCA remains committed to working with the Commission and policymakers to achieve this important goal.”
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Statement by CCA President & CEO Tim Donovan on Release of “Spectrum and National Security Act of 2024”
Washington, D.C. – Competitive Carriers Association President and CEO Tim Donovan made the following statement: “CCA commends U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH), Vice Chair Randy Weber (R-TX), and Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) for leading a letter to Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel regarding the 5G Fund. We thank the additional eight Members of Congress who joined them. The importance of getting the 5G Fund right for rural America cannot be overstated. This program will replace key components of the High-Cost Fund and become the only federal funding program focused on mobility. It will determine if rural Americans maintain mobile services and gain access to ubiquitous 5G connectivity. As the Members of Congress stated, the ‘5G Fund should preserve and expand next-generation mobile wireless services in rural America’ because ‘[all] Americans deserve the opportunities that 5G service will bring to their lives.’ To do so, the FCC must recognize the criticality of leveraging BEAD-funded fiber and fixed wireless projects and basing eligibility and funding decisions on accurate mapping data. Otherwise, rural areas will be left behind and will miss out on vital connectivity opportunities – or worse, lose access to coverage available today only because of USF support. CCA will continue work with Congress and the FCC to maximize the reach and efficiency of the 5G Fund and to ensure that the data used for 5G Fund decisions is the highest quality possible.” A link to the letter can be found here. For more information about CCA and its policy priorities, please visit ccamobile.org. ### About Competitive Carriers Association Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) is the leading association for competitive wireless providers and stakeholders across the United States. Members range from small, rural carriers serving fewer than 5,000 customers to regional and nationwide providers serving millions of customers, as well as vendors and suppliers that provide products and services throughout the wireless communications ecosystem.