Rural broadband stimulus comments filed

Access Humboldt joins call for Public Interest Broadband Principles in Federal Stimulus
- Local community access provider signs on to comments for NTIA and RUS rules with national organizations

Eureka, CA - Access Humboldt joined with the Rural Internet and Broadband Policy Group, the Media and Democracy Coalition (media-democracy.net), and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (natoa.org) in filing comments today with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the USDA’s Rural Utility Service (RUS).

The Rural Internet and Broadband Policy Group, which also includes the California Center for Rural Policy based at Humboldt State University, proposed basic principles for rural broadband initiatives, including: Communication is a fundamental human right; diversity of rural America; local ownership, self reliance and investment in the community; and, network neutrality and open access.

Comments filed with the NTIA today addressed key elements of the federal broadband initiatives, including: Compensate for lack of private investment; unserved communities should be given funding priority; Unserved and Underserved definitions; invest in local projects; speed; mapping; adoption; matching requirements; digital inclusion; non-discrimination and interconnection; and the role of states and local jurisdictions.

Attached
Press release and full Comments for:
Rural Internet and Broadband Policy Group
Media and Democracy Coalition
National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA)