Wednesday, September 28th 2016
NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association is applauding the House of Representatives for passing the Communications Act Update Act of 2016, which includes provisions to combat problems of telephone calls failing to complete to rural areas as well as measures to relieve small business network operators from burdensome broadband obligations. The provisions addressing call quality were co-sponsored by Rep. David Young, R-Iowa, and Peter Welch, D-Vt., and unanimously approved Tuesday as part of the Communications Act Update. Young's Call Quality and Reliability Act requires that providers register with the Federal Communications Commission and meet quality standards ensuring rural Americans can rely on phone service. It also prohibits providers from using any intermediary routing services not registered with the FCC. In other news, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va., today introduced the Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program Act, which would allow for grants to be awarded in combination with the current loan funding available through the Rural Utilities Service Broadband Loan Program.