Be the local broadband professor summarizes the advice given by Rhod Shaw, Principal & Chairman of the Alpine Group, at the State and Federal update session at the 2022 Independent Show (TIS). Moderated by ACA Connects President and CEO, Grant Spellmeyer, with Shaw and Tom Cohen, Partner at Kelley Drye, serving as panelists, this panel provided a real-time update and overview on the current regulatory and political climate in Washington in the context of broadband including;

• prospects and status of FCC broadband labeling requirements
• potential changes to make telehealth rules permanent (HR4040),
• state and federal privacy initiatives
• the potential impact of the November elections
• federal funding of broadband and associated mapping (inaugural filings for broadband providers are due 9/1/22).

The above interview with Spellmeyer provides an overview of the panel. One of the important takeaways is that ACA Connects’ members should leverage their facilities and staff to help educate elected officials about the challenges and opportunities broadband brings to their constituents. Officials need reminding that there is still a lot of work to be done, much of it by government agencies, to close the various digital divides, even with the unprecedented allocation of federal funds.

Spellmeyer emphasizes the importance of members and their understanding of their respective communities and service territories. They serve as an early warning to help ACA Connects raise the visibility of issues in Washington. Simply, ACA members local knowledge can help prevent things like inaccurate mapping or prevent funding of areas that already have broadband (e.g. 16 Million Reason to Challenge CAF).

Interview Highlights

• 00:14 – Homework – take your member of Congress on a tour of your facility
• 01:49 – It is a baseline education that is important for any elected official
• 03:18 – How does one prevent double funding and funding overbuild of areas that already have broadband?
• 05:15 – Will there be an ACA Summit in 2023?
• 06:30 – Grant provides his impressions of TIS22.
• 07:51 – Government involvement is something that was with Grant when he was in grade school. He points out that honesty, integrity, and calm judgment are what the team and staff at ACA Connects are known for and that he is proud to be their new leader.