Concerns from rural broadband providers regarding proposed changes pushed by the FCC remain high, leading potentially affected telecommunications providers to watch closely, while working to curb negative affects.
The issue was a key focus during a legislative conference held in Washington D.C. In recent days, and attended by representatives of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association.
18 were Kansans, including one from the local area, Dennis Doyle of Marysville.
Doyle is the general manager of Blue Valley Tele-Communications based in Home City(Play Audio :07 seconds)
The changes arise from the Obama administration's plans to expand broadband nationwide in order to move the United States from 17th in broadband development into a leadership role in the technology. Doyle agrees with that move. What he disagrees with is how it's being done, and how it will affect his company's ability to pay back subsidized loans received from the federal Rural Utility Service(Play Audio :12 seconds)
That problem arises from the possible redirection of Universal Service Funds money, which would put a burden on Blue Valley, and other such rural companies.
Large companies, such as AT&T-due to their volume and large city customer-base-would not feel such affects.
During their time in the nation's capital, Doyle, and the other telecom representatives, met with members of the Kansas Delegation-including Senator Jerry Moran-to discuss the issue(Play Audio :21 seconds)
Doyle says a major problem arises from how the FCC operates(Play Audio :35 seconds)
The related changes already made are in regards to the Universal Service Fund which, decades ago, was put into place to allow equal access to telecommunications no matter where a resident might live.  As for the issue at hand(Play Audio :14 seconds)
Nothing is yet definite, as the proposed changes remain unknown, and a wait and see approach is the only course to be taken by the stakeholders in the issue.