RWA advocates before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Congress on behalf of its members.
From Alaska to Alabama, RWA is dedicated to supporting our member companies in their efforts to extend wireless coverage to our rural communities through our innovative advocacy. Our devoted team of legal and regulatory experts ensures our carrier members have a voice in Washington.
The RWA Advocacy Team:
- Secured a 15% rural service provider bidding credit for the 600 MHz Auction, and formulated and structured the 600 MHz auction for a successful outcome by rightsizing license areas and preventing package bidding.
- Participates in the CAF Phase II proceeding to ensure wireless broadband providers are funded.
- Continues to be deeply involved in the Mobility Fund Phase II proceeding to ensure that rural wireless companies can meet both capex and opex for LTE buildout.
- Files dozens of pleadings, comments and ex partes each year covering issues that impact rural wireless carriers including Universal Service/Mobility Fund/CAF; Spectrum Auctions; Fair and Reasonable Roaming Access to Devices; Unfair Competition.
- Works to ensure that rural wireless companies secure fair and reasonable roaming agreements.
- Ensuring that the FCC fairly addresses the 700 MHz buildout rules, so the spectrum is not warehoused by licensees unwilling to build wireless networks in rural and remote areas.
RWA Commends FCC for County-Based Licenses in 3.5 GHz Band
The Rural Wireless Association applauds Commissioner Michael O’Rielly and Federal Communications Commission for considering county-based licenses for the Priority Access Licenses in the 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service. The choice of counties plus the [...]
RWA Opposes Sprint/T-Mobile Merger
RWA has filed a Petition to Deny the proposed Sprint/T-Mobile Merger. The merger is anticompetitive, would be harmful to consumers (especially those in rural markets), and should be denied. RWA’s Petition identifies harm in the [...]
RWA Disappointed in FCC Denial of Sprint/T-Mobile Petition to Deny Deadline Extension
On August 17, 2018, the Rural Wireless Association, Inc. ("RWA") joined ten other organizations in filing a motion with the Federal Communications Commission to stop the informal 180-day clock until T-Mobile and Sprint supplement their [...]
RWA Welcomes Release of 90-Day Mobility Fund Challenge Process Extension; Applauds Retention of Extended Buffer Radius
RWA is pleased that the FCC has adopted an item extending the Mobility Fund Phase II challenge process by 90 days. Cumbersome technical requirements and overstated unsubsidized 4G LTE coverage have made the process tremendously [...]