Rural Broadband Alliance: FCC Has “Systemic Disdain” for Rural Telcos

Some members of the Federal Communications Commission have a “systemic disdain” for small rural carriers, says the Rural Broadband Alliance.

“Both the official record and meetings with the Commission evidence the creation of a superficial caricature of rural companies at the Commission,” the group said. “This caricature is forged on a baseless assumption that rural carriers make unwarranted investments in network.” The RBA is a lobbying and public interest group that was originally created last year by certain rural telcos that were unhappy about the direction the FCC was moving as a result of recommendations about Universal Service reform made in the National Broadband Plan.