All over the United States you will find communities struggling to keep up with the fast pace of technological innovation. And while there are many reasons for this uphill battle, the main struggle telecommunications providers face today has to do with government regulation and the fight for federal support.
When we heard that our friends at South Canaan Telephone Company had received some well-deserved media attention for their good work in bringing fiber optic capabilities to the South Canaan area of Pennsylvania, we were thrilled. It is immeasurably valuable to shine the light on the importance of broadband technology in isolated areas, as so few realize how integral speedy internet is in day-to-day life.
South Canaan Telephone Company has been laying over 40 miles of fiber for the last two years. They are passionate about providing their rural communities with the same elite service you would find in any high volume city in America. What’s even better, though, is that they are one of many providers looking to make high-quality broadband the standard for all of rural America.
The Small Company Coalition (SCC) was formed to bring together small telecommunications providers and make necessary changes on Capitol Hill. The current goal of SCC? To secure federal support in bringing high-quality service to EVERY community in the United States. The biggest issue is the amount of regulation and legislature affecting rural providers; companies with limited financial and human resources cannot keep up with the amount of paperwork required for them to operate under these rules. The man-hours required to complete and submit forms directly take away from time spent serving customers in a real, significant, and detrimental way.
The SCC has created a petition on change.org to gain support for their efforts in Washington. By signing, you will tell the FCC that you are committed to bridging the “digital divide” and ending broadband inequality in the U.S. You can check out their informational video and sign the petition here.
To borrow our favorite motto from NTCA: Rural Is Cool. We’ve signed – will you?