Sorry to bother everyone on an early Friday evening and I hope your families are happy and healthy at this time.
We need your help. The U.S. Senate is about to consider legislation which could take you out of the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) reverse auction under the cover of a COVID-19 response. The legislation is purportedly designed to ensure all Americans have broadband connectivity during the COVID pandemic, using the digital divide as its Trojan Horse. How it would work is that it would short circuit FCC RDOF’s reverse auction process, instructing the agency to create a clear and insurmountable preference in favor of providers bidding to bring fiber to any given census block. These fiber bids would come in at the highest “reserve price,” automatically knocking out others who want to compete but who choose based on marketplace research not offer fiber in their bids. Adding to this, the legislation would eliminate the FCC’s challenge process, undermining FCC protections against unwarranted overbuilding. Consequently, not only would the proposal remove market-based solutions from the auction, it would result in waste of U.S. taxpayer dollars, promoting the deployment of gold-plated networks paid for at the highest “reserve price” that may never be supported or fully used by the local marketplace. Senator Peters is considering supporting this proposal and we need you to help us tell him to stay off of it. He would like to set up a call with as many of you as possible on this Monday late afternoon- May 18, 2020. I will send around a firm time and dial in info on Monday morning but wanted to 1) give you as much notice as possible, and 2) gauge interest in joining this call. Feel free to send this along to other Michigan colleagues who may not be on the email list. If you are available and willing to join this call late Monday afternoon, please fill out this three second form here: https://forms.gle/bYaETQYpt4y69iKM9 I will send out a follow up email with instructions for the call and talking points for your convenience Monday morning. If folks feel they need a prep call, we will set up a 20 minute pre-call immediately prior to hopping on the line with staff. My apologies for the fire alarm on this but it is fast moving legislation and we need to act ASAP to protect our collective interests. Thank you for your help! Best, Christina Christina M. Mason Vice President of Government Affairs Wireless Internet Service Providers Association 202-763-3800 Learn more about WISPA today!<https://youtu.be/iBphp1RILuA> [cid:[email protected]]
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