Washington, D.C. – The Rural Telecommunications Group, Inc. (RTG), a trade association representing small, rural wireless carriers, applauds President Obama for issuing a Presidential Memorandum to help unleash 500 megahertz of spectrum for wireless broadband use in support of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) National Broadband Plan (NBP). RTG has called the government’s efforts to make 300-500 megahertz of spectrum available “the Louisiana Purchase of the broadband generation.”
Consistent with the NBP and the President’s directive, RTG encourages the FCC to move forward quickly to auction and license its current “inventory” of spectrum, particularly the Upper 700 MHz D block. “Auctioning the D block will help to create jobs, foster competition, and facilitate the deployment of the nationwide interoperable public safety network. This is particularly true in rural areas,” said Tanya Sullivan, RTG’s Executive Director, “where public safety lacks the resources to deploy and maintain a standalone broadband network, and where increased innovation and competition can foster economic recovery.”
“In many rural areas, large amounts of spectrum remain unused by the larger carriers or broadcasters,” said Caressa Bennet, RTG’s General Counsel. “The government should ensure that this spectrum is unleashed and available to small and innovative carriers and businesses that will deploy wireless broadband services and will partner with public safety entities in rural areas. In licensing spectrum, the FCC should focus on policies—such as auctioning spectrum on the basis of small geographic areas—that ensure that spectrum in rural areas is not mothballed by large companies focusing on urban deployments. Licensing spectrum on the basis of small areas allows for greater innovation and licensee diversification.”
About RTG – Headquartered in Washington, DC, RTG is a trade association representing rural wireless carriers who serve less than 100,000 subscribers. RTG’s members have joined together to speed delivery of new, efficient and innovative telecommunications technologies to remote and underserved communities. www.ruraltelecomgroup.org
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