On October 5, 2017, the Wireless RERC submitted reply comments in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s Notice of Inquiry Concerning Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion [GN Docket No. 17-199]. The Inquiry sought stakeholder input on a number of issues, not the least of which were considerations on how to evaluate and include (a) deployment and use of mobile services, (b) the demographic characteristics of unserved areas, and (c) deployment based on demographic characteristics, independent of geographical location. Reply comments supported and elaborated on initial comments submitted separately by the Colorado State Broadband Office (SBO), the Communications Workers of America (CWA), Public Knowledge, et al., National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC), and others. The Wireless RERC concurred with comments made in support of the need for both fixed and mobile advanced telecommunications services in a community to be considered reasonably and timely delivered. Regarding the hot-button topic, Public Knowledge, et al. poignantly stated that “Because consumers who can afford [emphasis added] both mobile and fixed connections typically purchase both, they should be seen as complementary, not substitute products, that the Commission measures separately…if two products were truly “interchangeable,” no one would buy both.
