Publication Type: Media Release
Date: 6/21/2006CONTACT: Brian Dietz/Joy Sims, 202-775-3629
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In testimony today before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Richard Cimerman, Vice President, State Government Affairs, National Cable & Telecommunications Association, reiterated the cable industry's strong support of the goals and purposes of the universal service fund (USF), but noted that there is general consensus that all aspects of the system are in need of reform. To that end, he suggested three proposals for reform:
a telephone number-based contribution mechanism should be adopted;
broadband services should not be assessed for universal service purposes;
all universal service distributions should be competitively and technologically neutral and encourage efficiency.
Cimerman testified before a hearing by the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. A link to the full testimony can be found below.
NCTA is the principal trade association for the U.S. cable industry, representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks. The cable industry is the nation’s largest broadband provider of high-speed Internet access after investing $100 billion over ten years to build a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology. Cable companies also provide state-of-the-art digital telephone service to millions of American consumers.
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6/21/2006
NCTA VP Rick Cimerman before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Universal Service
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Abstract: Richard Cimerman, Vice President, State Government Affairs, National Cable & Telecommunications Association: What are We Subsidizing and Why? Part 1: The High-Cost FundAttachment: Cimerman_USF_Testimony_06.21.06.pdf (30 KB)Issue Brief(s): Universal ServicePublication Type: Testimony