We can't have the FCC mandating which technology to use, where to use it, and when to deploy it. Some NTCA members have already extended its reach beyond that point. According to RUS, building plant capable of carrying DSL is only 20 to 35 percent more expensive than regular plant. But equipment to serve this market has been slow in coming. Manufacturers, quite naturally, have focused on equipment that serves the urban market.
Rural areas demand rugged equipment and smaller line counts.
Some NTCA members serve sparse areas the size of states. Yet the FCC proposes just that. It wants wireless carriers to compete with independents to serve rural and remote areas, including Indian reservations. The FCC overlooks the vital role small independents play . . . Providing jobs, economic development, and community leadership.