Mobility Fund II Issues in Focus at House Rural Broadband Caucus Briefing

A Wednesday House Rural Broadband Caucus briefing for Capitol Hill staffers focused on changes to the FCC Mobility Fund II (MFII), the Competitive Carriers Association said. “As demand for spectrum to power internet-connected devices skyrockets and the need to extend broadband service in rural areas emerges as a national priority, both the Federal Communications Commission and Congress are looking for competitive ways to distribute limited federal funds and resources based on reliable data to preserve and expand mobile broadband services,” said an invitation to the briefing, which wasn't open to the media or public. CCA Senior Vice President-Legislative Affairs Tim Donovan, Cellcom Associate Legal Counsel Larry Lueck, Mosaik Vice President-Products and Technology Chip Strange and U.S. Cellular Vice President-Federal Affairs Grant Spellmeyer spoke, according to CCA. “Many competitive carriers serve the most-difficult-to-reach areas of the country and will rely on important programs like MFII to provide, preserve and expand service to close the digital divide,” said CCA President Steven Berry in a news release. “Ensuring areas in-need have access to critical MFII funding will help achieve the bipartisan goal of closing the digital divide in rural America, and eligible areas must be based on reliable data to reflect what consumers experience,” Donovan said in the news release.