“It’s very difficult for policy makers to keep up with what the industry is actually doing,” said Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA. The implication is that it is unclear how rules will change due to slow reaction of policy makers to fast-moving innovation. As a result, operators face uncertainty, which, to some extent, holds back investment in their networks. This was a common view-point on the panel, which Bloomfield participated in at The Independent Show.

The ever positive Bloomfield expressed her bullishness for the prospects for independent broadband operators. She bases this optimism on the robust fiber and last mile networks they already have put in place and that, ultimately, these networks are symbiotic with wireless infrastructure. She also pointed out the consumer-centric nature of independent operators, which occurs because management and ownership is local and part of the community. This creates a different mind-set, as the general manager of a local operator can’t hide behind a faceless customer support organization and has to face friends and neighbors at church, in schools and around town.

To this point, Bloomfield implores independent operators to tell the stories of how their broadband networks are making a difference to their communities. Her comment was a great lead-in for a story ViodiTV had produced for the television coverage of The Independent Show and which can be found online here.