On March 16, 2010, the Federal Communications Commission submitted Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan to Congress, as required under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The materials on this webpage are designed to serve as a resource – providing you with information about the Plan and the advocacy and outreach efforts of WTA and other industry stakeholders (OPASTCO, NTCA, and NECA) to ensure Americans living in rural areas continue to receive high quality communications services.
National Broadband Plan Documents
National Broadband Map – Released by NTIA on February 17, 2011
Working Reports and Technical Papers
NPRM/NOI – Published in Federal Register on May 3, 2010
Mobility Fund NPRM – Published in the Federal Register on November 1, 2010
NPRM and FNPRM on USF and ICC Reform – Released February 9, 2011
Public Notice and Further Inquiry on RLEC Plan and America’s Broadband Connectivity Plan – Released August 3, 2011
Report and Order and FNPRM on USF/ICC Reform – Release November 18, 2011
Final Rule on USF/ICC Reform – Published in Federal Register on November 29, 2011
Regression Analysis Order – Released April 25, 2012
Filings
Rural Associations’ reply comment on ICC portions of FNPRM – Filed March 30, 2012
Rural Associations’ comments on ICC portions of FNPRM – Filed February 24, 2012
Rural Associations’ reply comments to Oppositions to Petitions for Reconsideration – Filed February 21, 2012
Rural Associations’ reply comments to USF FNPRM – Filed February 17, 2012
Rural Associations’ Opposition to Petitions for Reconsideration – Filed February 9, 2012
Rural Associations’ Petition for Clarification of Order – Filed January 24, 2012
Rural Associations’ comments on USF portion of FNPRM – Filed January 18, 2012
WTA Files to Intervene in 10th Circuit Court of Appeals – January 6, 2012
Rural Associations’ Petition for Reconsideration of USF/ICC Order – Filed December 29, 2011
Rural Associations’ reply comments on USF/ICC Public Notice – Filed September 6, 2011
Rural Associations’ comments on USF/ICC Public Notice – Filed August 24, 2011
Consensus Framework summary letter – Sent to FCC on July 29, 2011
Rural Associations’ reply comments on USF-ICC NPRM – Filed May 23, 2011
Rural Associations’ comments on USF-ICC NPRM – Filed April 18, 2011
Rural Associations’ reply comments on near-term aspects of USF and ICC NPRM – Filed April 18, 2011
Rural Associations’ comments on near-term aspects of USF & ICC NPRM – Filed April 1, 2011
Rural Associations’ notice of ex parte on NBP and CAF – Filed January 27, 2011
Rural Associations’ Comments on Mobility Fund NPRM – Filed December 16, 2010
WTA, NECA, OPASTCO, NTCA and Rural Alliance Reply-Comments on first NPRM/NOI – Filed August 12, 2010
WTA, NECA, OPASTCO, NTCA and Rural Alliance Comments on first NPRM/NOI – Filed July 12, 2010
WTA Reply Comments to FCC on NBP – Filed January 27, 2010
WTA Comments on NCTA Petition – Filed January 7, 2010
WTA Comments to FCC on Middle Mile – Filed November 4, 2009
WTA Comments to FCC on NBP – Filed June 8, 2009
Congressional Action
Thune/Johnson/Noem letter to FCC – Sent April 20th
Pryor/Boozman letter to FCC – Sent April 19th
Gardner/Tipton letter to FCC – Sent April 18th
Klobuchar/Franken letter to FCC and USDA – Sent April 16th
Luetkemeyer letter to FCC – Sent April 4, 2012 (signed by 44 Members of Congress)
Begich-Thune letter to FCC – Sent April 3, 2012 (signed by 19 Senators)
Iowa Congressional delegation letter to FCC on proposed Order – Sent October 21, 2011
Senator Baucus letter to FCC on USF Reform – Sent October 20, 2011
Shirley Bloomfield testimony to Senate Commerce Committee on behalf of Rural Associations – October 12, 2011
Terry-Ross Letter to FCC on Consensus Framework – Sent October 4, 2011 (signed by 35 Members of Congress)
Klobuchar-Thune letter to FCC on Consensus Framework – Sent September 29, 2011 (signed by seven Senators)
Idaho delegation letter to FCC on Consensus Framework – Sent September 23, 2011
Wyoming delegation letter to FCC on Consensus Framework – Sent September 14, 2011
Missouri delegation letter to FCC on NPRM – Sent July 19, 2011
Washington, Oregon and Idaho delegation letter to FCC on NPRM – Sent June 29, 2011
Senator Landrieu letter to FCC on NPRM – Sent June 14, 2011
Senator Inhofe Letter to FCC on NPRM – Sent June 1, 2011
Idaho Congressional letter to FCC on USF Reform – Sent April 29, 2011
Begich/Thune letter to FCC on the subject of ensuring RUS borrowers are able to repay loans – (signed by 30 Senators, sent April 6, 2011)
House letter to FCC on the subject of ensuring RUS borrowers are able to repay loans – (signed by 39 Representatives, sent March 21, 2011)
Shirley Bloomfield’s testimony to Congress on behalf of NTCA, WTA and OPASTCO – September 16, 2010
WTA, OPASTCO and NTCA Letter to Congress – May 3, 2010
Senator Rockefeller letter to FCC – August 3, 2010
Testimony of Delbert Wilson on behalf of NTCA, OPASTCO and WTA – Senate Commerce Committee Hearing – June 24, 2010
Sen. Dorgan Letter to FCC on Broadband Speeds (signed by 22 Senators)
Markey-Graves Letter to FCC on Broadband Speeds (signed by 40 Representatives)
Rep. Lummis Letter to FCC on Broadband Speeds
Rep. Skelton Letter to FCC on Broadband Speeds
Rep. Matheson letter to FCC on Broadband Speeds
Rep. Herseth-Sandlin Letter to FCC on Broadband Speeds
Rep. Whitfield Letter to FCC on Broadband Speeds
Grassroots Advocacy
WTA encourages its members to contact the FCC and Congress to express concerns about the NBP. An example of these type of letters can be found below:
Ganado Telephone Company letter to Congress – Sent February 2, 2011
Yucca Telecom letter to Congress – Sent August 2, 2010
Yucca Telecom letter to the FCC – Sent August 2, 2010
The Rural Associations have developed one-page summaries on several issues for rural companies to use in grassroots advocacy:
Intercarrier Compensation Summary
Advantages of Wireline Network
Webinars: On March 1st and 15th, 2011, the rural associations held webinars to discuss the details of the FCC’s USF and ICC reform NPRM. Slides used in the webinars are available here. Audio is available here from March 1st and here from March 15th.
On June 30, 2010 and July 7, 2010, WTA, OPASTCO, NTCA, the Rural Alliance, NECA and State Execs (the Rural Associations) held a webinar to inform the rural industry about the possible effects of the NBP. Provided here are slides from the webinars along with an archived webcast with audio.
The Rural Associations have developed slides to use to brief non-telecom audiences about the effects of the NBP in rural areas. There are also updated (as of 9/10), more detailed slides.
State Legislature Action: On January 27, 2011, the Iowa House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 6, which noted the importance of broadband to rural America and critiqued aspects of the National Broadband Plan that hamper the effort to continue it’s build-out. The text of HR6 can be found here.
Other grassroots efforts:
State telco association letter to FCC in support of Consensus Framework - Signed by 13 state associations, sent October 19, 2011
Letter from 15 rural groups urging FCC “to consider the landmark industry consensus” – Sent October 3, 2011
Montana Independent Telecommunications Systems (MITS) letter to FCC in support of Consensus Framework – Sent August 26, 2011
Indiana Telephone Association letter to FCC in support of Consensus Framework - Sent August 24, 2011
Letter from the National Grange to FCC in support of Consensus Framework – Sent August 22, 2011
Montana State Legislature’s Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee letter to Chairman Genachowski – Sent September 10, 2010
California Legislature’s Rural Caucus letter to FCC Chairman Genachowski – Sent August 18, 2010
Pottawatomie County (KS) Economic Development Corporation letter to Senator Sam Brownback – Sent August 4, 2010
Alaska Governor Sean Parnell’s letter to FCC Chairman Genachowksi - Sent June 2, 2010
Iowa Telecommunications Association’s letter to USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack – Sent June 3, 2010
Additional Resources
Rural Associations’s letter to Secretary Vilsack – Sent January 12, 2012
Rural Associations’ letter to President Obama – Sent October 21, 2011
RUS Administrator Adelstein’s letter to FCC regarding proposed USF/ICC Order – Sent October 20, 2011
CoBank filing supporting comprehensive reform of USF – Filed October 20, 2011
Oklahoma Study – “Estimating The Impacts Of The National Broadband Plan On Local Rural Exchange Carriers In Oklahoma”
Harold Furchtgott-Roth – “Why the FCC Should Not Hold a Position with Respect to Consolidation Within the Rural Telephone Industry”
North Dakota Study – “The Effect of Changes in Universal Service Funding on the Economic Contribution of Rural Local Exchange Carriers to the North Dakota State Economy”
Missouri Study – “Economic Impact of Removal of the Universal Service Fund in Missouri”
Colorado Study – “The Impacts of Colorado Telecommunications Association Members on the Colorado Economy”
New Mexico Study – “The Potential Economic Impact of the National Broadband Plan on the New Mexico Exchange Carriers Group
Kansas Study – “Kansas Rural Local Exchange Carriers – Assessing the Impact of the National Broadband Plan”
RUS Administrator Adelstein’s letter to FCC regarding National Broadband Plan – Sent November 9, 2010
Three former RUS Administrators’ letter to Chairman Genachowski – Sent July 23, 2010
House & Senate Letters in one document
Press
Rural Associations issue press release on Nov. 18th Report and Order and FNPRM – November 21, 2011
Op-ed written by John Hemphill (Pine Telephone) – September 21, 2011
Op-ed written by Mike Henning (3 Rivers Communications) – August 29, 2011
Senator Byron Dorgan’s op-ed published in MinnPost - August 16, 2011
Rural Associations issue press release on FCC’s Public Notice – August 4, 2011
Op-eds written by Mike Foster (Twin Valley Telephone) and Ron Laudner (OmniTel Communications) – July 24, 2011
News Stories on Save Rural Broadband Campaign – Updated July 19, 2011
Article published in West Liberty Index on FCC reform plan – July 7, 2011
Senator Byron Dorgan’s op-ed published in The Hill – June 3, 2011
WTA Praises RUS Administrator Adelstein’s Letter to FCC on NBP – November 10, 2010
Iowa Telecommunications Association President Dave Duncan’s op-ed in The Des Moines Register - November 9, 2010
Rural Associations Reply to Comments on FCC’s Broadband Universal Service Reform Proceeding – August 12, 2010
Rural Associations File Comments on FCC’s Broadband Universal Service Reform Proceeding – July 12, 2010
Rural Groups Hail Senate Letter on National Broadband Plan - July 11, 2010
Rural Groups Tell USDA Sec. Vilsack National Broadband Plan Jeopardizes Infrastructure Investment and Repayment of RUS Loans – June 14, 2010
Rural Groups Laud Reps. Graves, B. Markey Letter Citing Concerns with National Broadband Plan – May 28, 2010
Rural Associations Warn of Broadband Plan’s Low Speed Threshold – May 3, 2010
FCC Proposals Risk Backsliding on Rural Broadband – January 12, 2010