NTCA Members Face Wireless Facts

Communications Today, Nov 1, 2002

Most National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) members with wireless operations plan to bid in U.S. spectrum license auctions, but the companies don't have a positive outlook on competing with large wireless players in those auctions. "We feel that obtaining access to spectrum is a major problem," Richard Schadelbauer, economist for the trade group representing small and rural telecom operators, said during the NTCA's release of its annual wireless survey results. Wireless companies participating in the survey show a "preceived inability to compete with large companies at auction and also an inability to afford spectrum won at auction," Schadelbauer said.

But the NTCA expects its lobbying efforts to next year help push through federal legislation giving small companies better opportunities to compete, said Shirley Bloomfield, the Arlington, Va.-based group's vice president for government affairs. Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mt.) and Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) are particularly sensitive to rural telecom operators' interests, Bloomfield added. "I think that spectrum is going to be fairly hot item on the agenda," she said. For more on this and other hot topics within the wireless sector, be sure to read the latest edition of Wireless Data News. For subscription information, visit the "newsstand" at http://www.TelecomWeb.com.

[Copyright 2002 PBI Media, LLC. All rights reserved.]