WISPA Meets With Policymakers on Capitol Hill
Redding, CA (PRWEB) May 19, 2015 -- The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA), a membership organization that promotes the development, advancement, and unity of the fixed wireless Internet service provider (WISP) industry, gathered in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss several policies affecting the fixed Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) industry.
Advocacy Week kicked-off with a Keynote Speech from Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, who discussed his committee’s efforts to fund and oversee the USDA’s Rural Broadband Development Programs. WISPA delegates flooded Capitol Hill, visiting with Members and staff from at least from at least 13 states, as well as both the Senate Commerce Committee Majority and Minority Staffs.
During the meetings on Capitol Hill, WISPA discussed four distinct legislative priorities. First, the group asked that states be free from federal decisions that preempt their right to preclude taxpayer-funded municipal broadband. Second, WISPA supports an open Internet but spoke to the downside of imposing onerous and costly regulatory controls on small broadband providers. Third, the Association is interested in helping the FCC and Congress to integrate unlicensed Long-Term Evolution (LTE-U) radios into the unlicensed spectrum once testing confirms that this technology can coexist with existing Wi-Fi, broadband and other unlicensed devices. Lastly, WISPA asked for Congress’ assistance to convince the USDA to abandon its 2013 changes that prevent some rural Internet providers from obtaining grant funds for fixed wireless deployment.
About WISPA
WISPA is a membership-driven trade association that promotes the development, advancement, and unity of the fixed wireless Internet service provider industry. WISPA has over 800 members that support WISPA’s advocacy, education and other collaborative industry initiatives. For more information, visit http://www.wispa.org.
L. Elizabeth Bowles, WISPA, http://www.wispa.org, 501.374.4638, [email protected]
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