WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission should encourage the deployment of wireless technology in rural America, including Indian reservations, said 11 Senate Democrats last week.
“As you know, there are some rural areas that currently lack basic phone service or have very inadequate service. Some of these areas are Native American territories. We encourage the FCC to work with interested carriers, such as wireless carriers, to provide service … Although 95 percent of U.S. households have basic phone service, we believe more effort needs to be directed to address the small but important remaining percentage of the population that does not have basic service,” the senators said.
The letter is part of a two-prong initiative the Democrats from Western states are undertaking to bring new telecom technology to rural America. The second part is a bill, to be introduced this week, to establish an Office of Rural Advocate at the FCC.
