The FCC’s Rip & Replace Reimbursement program was briefly discussed during Gigi Sohn’s Senate confirmation on Tuesday. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) noted that Sohn previously discussed innovative broadband solutions. He said providers in the Upper Peninsula of his state are “being held hostage” by the program’s more than $3 billion shortfall.
Peters asked Sohn if she would commit to working with the Hill and broadband providers on the problem. Sohn said “yes,” and added that she recently met with members of the Rural Wireless Association (RWA), “who talked to me about their invoices not getting paid.”
The Rip & Replace funding shortfall is getting attention in the House, too. NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, joined other trade associations such as CCA, WIA and RWA, in a letter to the House Armed Services Committee, urging lawmakers to fully fund the program.
“Carriers cannot complete the job without full funding,” the associations wrote. “They have been largely prohibited from servicing or upgrading their networks for years, increasing chances for network degradation or even failure, and leaving their communities behind as technology evolves to 5G and beyond. The FCC cannot provide additional resources for this program – only Congress can provide funding to resolve the shortfall.”
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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