[1st-mile-nm] Fwd: NEWS: Chairman Pai Launches the Keep Americans Connected Pledge

[Richard Lowenberg]

> FROM: Evan Swarztrauber <Evan.Swarztrauber at fcc.gov>
> DATE: March 13, 2020 at 11:49:31 AM AST
> SUBJECT: NEWS: CHAIRMAN PAI LAUNCHES THE KEEP AMERICANS CONNECTED
> PLEDGE

> Good morning,
> 
> Yesterday, in multiple phone calls with broadband and telephone
> service providers and trade associations, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai
> emphasized the importance of keeping Americans connected during the
> serious disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. To ensure
> Americans do not lose connectivity as a result of these exceptional
> circumstances, Pai asked them to take the KEEP AMERICANS CONNECTED
> PLEDGE. You can see his tweets [1] here. For the next 60 days,
> companies that the pledge to:
> 
> (1) not terminate service to any residential or small business
> customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the
> disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;
> 
> (2) waive any late fees that any residential or small business
> customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the
> coronavirus pandemic; and
> 
> (3) open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.
> 
> Less than 24 hours after these calls, major providers told Chairman
> Pai they will take the pledge and implement it ASAP. And major trade
> groups representing carriers across the country have endorsed it. You
> can see more information below, including a full list of the companies
> that have taken the pledge thus far. IN ADDITION TO THE PLEDGE,
> CHAIRMAN PAI URGED PROVIDERS TO:
> 
> 1) expand and improve low-income broadband programs (e.g. by
> increasing speeds and expanding eligibility)
> 2) adopt low-income programs if they don't have them now
> 3) relax data cap policies as appropriate
> 4) waive long-distance and overage fees as appropriate
> 5) work with schools and libraries on remote learning opportunities
> 6) prioritize the connectivity needs of hospitals and healthcare
> providers
> 
> Chairman Pai also commended those providers that have already taken
> steps to ensure Americans, especially low-income families and
> veterans, remain connected. You can see Pai's tweets [1] on the matter
> here, and follow his account for more updates throughout the day.
> 
> EVAN SWARZTRAUBER
> Policy Advisor
> Office of Chairman Ajit Pai
> Federal Communications Commission
> (202) 418-2261 (o)
> (202) 870-8405 (m)
> Twitter: @EvanS_FCC
> 
> -------------------------
> 
> FROM: FCC Office of Media Relations
> <FCCOfficeofMediaRelations at fcc.gov>
> SENT: Friday, March 13, 2020 11:44 AM
> TO: FCC Office of Media Relations <FCCOfficeofMediaRelations at fcc.gov>
> SUBJECT: NEWS: Chairman Pai Launches the Keep Americans Connected
> Pledge
> 
> __
> 
> MEDIA CONTACT:
> 
> Tina Pelkey, (202) 418-0536
> 
> tina.pelkey at fcc.gov
> 
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 
> CHAIRMAN PAI LAUNCHES THE
> 
> KEEP AMERICANS CONNECTED PLEDGE
> 
> _PAI CALLS ON BROADBAND AND TELEPHONE SERVICE PROVIDERS TO PROMOTE
> CONNECTIVITY FOR AMERICANS IMPACTED BY THE DISRUPTIONS CAUSED BY THE
> CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC_
> 
> WASHINGTON, March 13, 2020—Yesterday, in multiple phone calls with
> broadband and telephone service providers and trade associations,
> Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai emphasized the
> importance of keeping Americans connected as the country experiences
> serious disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak.  And in order
> to ensure that Americans do not lose their broadband or telephone
> connectivity as a result of these exceptional circumstances, he
> specifically asked them to take the Keep Americans Connected Pledge.
> 
> The Keep Americans Connected Pledge reads as follows:
> 
> Given the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on American society,
> [[Company Name]] pledges for the next 60 days to:
> 
> (1) not terminate service to any residential or small business
> customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the
> disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;
> 
> (2) waive any late fees that any residential or small business
> customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the
> coronavirus pandemic; and
> 
> (3) open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.
> 
> Less than 24 hours after the Chairman’s calls, the following
> companies have already told Chairman Pai that they are taking the Keep
> Americans Connected Pledge and will implement it as soon as possible:
> ACIRA – Powered by Farmers Mutual Telephone Company & Federated
> Telephone, Allstream Business US, AlticeUSA, Antietam Broadband,
> Atlantic Broadband, AT&T, BBT, BOYCOM Vision, Burlington Telecom,
> Cable One, Central Arkansas Telephone Cooperative, CenturyLink,
> Charter, Cincinnati Bell, Citizens Connected, Comcast, Consolidated
> Communications, Cox Communications, Digital West, East Ascension
> Telephone Company, Education Networks of America, Emery Telecom,
> Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, FirstLight, Frontier, Google
> Fiber, Grande Communications, Granite Telecommunications, Great Plains
> Communications, GWI, Hiawatha Broadband, Hill Country, IdeaTek Telcom,
> Inteliquent, Lafourche Telephone Company, Lakeland Communications,
> Long Lines Broadband, Mammoth Networks/Visionary Broadband, Mediacom,
> MetTel, Nex-Tech, Ninestar Connect, Northwest Fiber, Orbitel
> Communications, Pioneer Communications, Premier Communications, Range
> Telephone Cooperative, RCN, Reserve Telephone Company, Sacred Wind
> Communications, Shawnee Communications, Socket Telecom, Sonic, Sprint,
> Starry, TDS Telecom, TelNet Worldwide, T-Mobile, TracFone Wireless,
> Uniti Fiber, US Cellular, Vast Broadband, Verizon, Vyve Broadband
> Investments, Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom, Wave Broadband,
> West Telecom Services, Windstream, and ZenFi Networks.  And the trade
> associations ACA Connects, Competitive Carriers of America, CTIA,
> INCOMPAS, NCTA—The Internet and Television Association, NTCA—The
> Rural Broadband Association, USTelecom, and WISPA have all endorsed
> the pledge.
> 
> “As the coronavirus outbreak spreads and causes a series of
> disruptions to the economic, educational, medical, and civic life of
> our country, it is imperative that Americans stay connected.
> Broadband will enable them to communicate with their loved ones and
> doctors, telework, ensure their children can engage in remote
> learning, and—importantly—take part in the ‘social distancing’
> that will be so critical to limiting the spread of this novel
> coronavirus,” said Chairman Pai.  “That’s why I’m asking all
> broadband and telephone service providers to take the Keep Americans
> Connected Pledge.  I don’t want any American consumers experiencing
> hardships because of the pandemic to lose connectivity.
> 
> “I applaud those companies that have already taken the Keep
> Americans Connected Pledge.  They are stepping up to the plate and
> taking critical steps that will make it easier for Americans to stay
> connected during this pandemic and maintain much-needed social
> distancing.  I urge other companies to join them.  This may be a
> difficult time for our nation, but if we all work together, I am
> confident that we can rise to the challenge.”
> 
> In addition to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, Chairman Pai
> commended companies that have already taken additional steps to ensure
> that Americans, especially low-income American families and veterans,
> remain connected.  He exhorted those companies with low-income
> broadband programs like the Connect2Compete program to expand and
> improve them (for example, by increasing speeds to 25/3 Mbps and
> expanding eligibility) and those without to adopt such programs.  He
> also called on broadband providers to relax their data cap policies in
> appropriate circumstances, on telephone carriers to waive
> long-distance and overage fees in appropriate circumstances, on those
> that serve schools and libraries to work with them on remote learning
> opportunities, and on all network operators to prioritize the
> connectivity needs of hospitals and healthcare providers.
> 
> Chairman Pai also continued the Commission’s ongoing discussions
> with service providers regarding their efforts to ensure that changes
> in usage patterns occurring during the pandemic do not impair network
> performance, as well as their plans to ensure network resiliency.
> 
> ###
> 
> MEDIA RELATIONS: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (844) 432-2275 / TTY: (888)
> 835-5322 / TWITTER: @FCC / WWW.FCC.GOV [2]
> 
> _This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of
> the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See
> MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974)._


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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute     505-603-5200
Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504,
rl at 1st-mile.org     www.1st-mile.org
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