On the Hill

With the Sen Commerce Cmte slated to hold a hearing Tues morning on how the US measures up when it comes to broadband, NCTA‘s Kyle McSlarrow is reminding members that America’s 49mln broadband subs is the most of any country in the world. He also wants them to keep in mind geography and population concentration when comparing the US to other countries’ broadband penetration. In a letter to members of the Sen and House Commerce Committees Tues, McSlarrow reiterated the cable industry’s $110bln investment over the last decade. He then went on to support tax credits to providers that build out to rural, unserved areas; a permanent moratorium on Internet access taxes and unfair taxes on electronic commerce; and public-private partnerships to provide broadband in unserved areas. McSlarrow called for reform of the RUS broadband loan program so funding goes to areas not served by broadband and said any USF money tied to broadband should go to unserved areas.