Advocacy Issues
Broadband Deployment Joint Governance Board Announced
Appointments have been announced for individuals serving on the state Broadband Governance Board. Efforts were made by RIITA to ensure appropriate representation by rural, independent telecommunication providers and we certainly made a positive contribution by ensuring the ex-officio legislative representatives were familiar with our companies. Based on the NOFA issued by RUS and NTIA, these state boards may take on more importance in determining who receives broadband grants. Appointed to the committee are:
Gary Norris, Waterloo - Education
Patricia Anderson, Hawarden - Cities
Stephen Lacina, Tipton - Counties
Carolyn King, Des Moines - Urban Residential User
Justine Heffron, Centerville - Rural Residential User
Edward Pardini, West Des Moines - Cable
Roxanne White, Everly - Wireline
Michael Haskins, Urbandale - Wireless
Krista Tanner, Des Moines - IUB
Thom Hart, Davenport - IDED
John Gillispie, Des Moines - ITTC
Ex-Officio Legislators - Senator Kim Reynolds, Senator Steve Warnstadt, Representative Kurt Swaim and Representative Matt Windschitl.
The Changing Dynamics of Telecommunications in Iowa - A White Paper
Iowa Fiber Map
RIITA has just released a white paper discussing the changing business environment rural, independent telephone companies are now experiencing. Written by Tim Owens of Cronin Communications, the document is designed to create a dialogue among legislators, regulators, state departments and other key stakeholders about the critical importance of these companies to any state broadband policy. Members are encouraged to share this information with staff, community leaders and other interested audiences.
Broadband Stimulus Update
With comments due on April 13 to the FCC, the RIITA Regulatory Committee and Board of Directors held meetings to address the request for definitions and information. The general consensus was to define broadband for purposes of the BTOP grant programs to be 1.5 mbs access to the Internet or faster. RIITA believes that customers should have access to 1.5 megabits per second during peak-hour load. This provides the needed capacity to deal with the increasing demand on video communications services to ensure reliability and consistency. RIITA believes that this should be the definition of broadband in the near-term for the program. As a result, any customer who does not have access to service at this speed is unserved by broadband.
RIITA Comments on State USF Process
Comments were due to the Iowa Utilities Board in early April relating to a state universal service fund process and/or procedures. RIITA filed comments on the value of workshops rather than a formal proceeding and stressed fundamental policy issues relating to a USF. In our comments, we noted that “Universal Service cannot be considered in isolation from other cost factors,” but that the Board needs to make basic policy decisions relating to reasonable/affordable local rates and elements defined in basic service. In addition, some discussion needs to be held on the changing dynamics of telephone service to a data network and this impact on Iowa companies – understanding that the IUB deals only with intrastate issues.