Mission Accomplished? I Don’t Think So.

(Excerpt from May 4 "Back Page." Click here to view the entire "Back Page")

“Great job!” “They got the message!” “Thank you!”

Those comments summarize the numerous e-mails and phone calls I received last week from many of the Independent company representatives who had read the first two installments of this three-part series on finding, facing and fixing the challenges that the FCC’s Broadband “Plan” poses to the rural Independent industry.

Each of those who left voice mail and sent e-mail messages wanted me to know that they had received e-mail alerts from their associations that outlined the problems and challenges in the “Plan,” similar to those set out in part one of this series. Equally important, the alerts indicated that the associations plan to work together on a coordinated response.

While I appreciate the messages I received, the announced efforts of the associations are in no way attributable to me or to anything I wrote in the first two parts of this series. The association staffs are very able, and they are independently and appropriately responding to the challenges that were set forth in the notices of the new rulemaking proceedings that have followed the issuance of the “Plan.”

In fact, I have failed in my mission if I left you with the impression that my goal was simply to encourage united efforts by the associations or to make certain that the industry is engaged in meeting the challenges of the “Plan.” United and coordinated Independent industry association efforts are only a starting point....

I think that each of the associations plays an important and distinct role that enables both strong united advocacy efforts and individual group efforts and focus. I envision that a successful strategy for the Independent industry to meet the challenges of the Broadband “Plan” begins with a coordinated and united effort led by the industry’s associations.

The announced efforts of the associations to address the challenges of the “Plan” in a coordinated effort are laudable, but that is a beginning and not an end....

Here is the hard question. Even if we restore and maintain the unity of purpose and effort that once existed among the associations, do the associations have sufficient resources to meet the challenge alone?

I think that the answer is clear. We need reinforcements. This is not a criticism of the associations. It is a reality. Each of the rural associations has excellent and valuable staff resources, but their numbers are few, and are limited by available association resources.

The effort needed to meet the challenges of the Broadband “Plan” will require resources that the associations do not have. In the recent past, the Independent industry and its associations recognized the need for additional resources as reflected in the formation of the Keep America Connected and Rural Alliance efforts. Whatever you may think of those efforts, it is important to recognize that there is a new need for organized reinforcements to address the present danger....

Regardless of whether or not you agree with my proposal, I urge you to recognize the need for the industry to unite its advocacy effort behind an articulated objective with supporting principles that can ensure a coordinated industry effort that will also find support from potential allies who join with our industry to meet the challenges of the Broadband “Plan.”

Similarly, I recognize that someone may have a better idea than the RBI concept I have set out as a mechanism for the Independent industry to obtain the additional resources required to fix the problems that the “Plan” has created for the Independent industry. But, the clock is running.

I urge anyone with a better idea to come forward with it. And, I ask anyone who does not think the Independent industry needs the reinforcements that I have described to come forward and set out for the industry their plan to meet the challenge ahead.