The following statement may be attributed to Bob Quinn, AT&T Senior Vice President of Federal Regulatory and Chief Privacy Officer:
“You cannot accomplish the goal of universal broadband at the heart of the FCC’s National Broadband Plan without a robust Lifeline program to provide a safety net for those in need. In a speech today, Blair Levin, one of the NBP’s primary authors, proposed remaking the voice-only USF Lifeline/Link-up programs into a broadband adoption program. The proposal is worthy of a serious discussion and would fundamentally reshape how qualification is determined, add in a dimension of accountability and the manner in which the program is paid for and administered. AT&T shares Mr. Levin’s belief in the importance of broadband adoption and the potential for a reformed Lifeline program to become part of the solution. We welcome the proposal and, more importantly, the discussion that this proposal should generate.”
Tomorrow, the FCC will meet to consider three related items that focus on increasing the deployment of telecommunications services on Tribal Lands. One of those items will specifically explore a range of recommendations to help close the wireless gap on Tribal Lands.
Wireless and broadband deployment continue to present unique challenges for many Tribal Lands in the nation. But that is not true everywhere. AT&T is today deploying a wireless broadband network on Tribal Lands in North Dakota, South Dakota and California and is committed to providing residents of those Native Nations with high quality wireless broadband services.
A bit of background: On June 22, 2010, the Commission unanimously approved the transfer of licenses and authorizations to AT&T in connection with Verizon’s sale of certain Alltel assets. In approving the license transfer, the Commission adopted a series of commitments made by AT&T to deploy wireless broadband networks and services to the acquired markets, many of which included Tribal Lands. More specifically, AT&T dedicated a capital budget of over $400 million to upgrade the network assets throughout the acquired markets by deploying a high speed HSPA broadband network. The FCC also specifically sought to ensure the continuity of high quality, low cost wireless services to the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, which also fell within the service area of the assets acquired by AT&T. AT&T committed to provide those services, dependent upon transfer of the appropriate eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation.
Posted by: AT&T Blog Team on February 28, 2011 at 5:02 pm
By Joel Lubin, AT&T Vice President of Public Policy
Last Wednesday, the Congressional Internet Caucus sponsored a panel discussion on the key hurdle to bringing broadband to all Americans – universal service and intercarrier compensation reform. If you weren’t able to make the Congressional event you missed a riveting discussion (and no, we’re not being facetious).
In a packed room at the Capitol, some of the key players in the debate gathered to discuss the FCC’s proposals to bring the telephone subsidy programs into the broadband era. For your viewing pleasure, here are some of the highlights of the hour and a half debate…..
John Jones of Century Link kicks off the discussion highlighting where the sparks really fly in this debate:
