Here is the letter I am sending to my congressional delegation and the Commerce Department:
18 February 2009 RE: Broadband Stimulus Package This stimulus package is becoming the proverbial 'pack of feeding wolves' led by huge corporate lobbyists. The loudest of this 'hands out' group are the worst run companies. I just read that President Obama is appointing Sprint-Nextel executive, Anna Gomez, to serve as deputy director of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which will handle as much as $6.65 billion in new stimulus wireless and broadband grants that could potentially be given to Sprint among other large urban providers. If we weren't fearful of the actual providers of rural broadband getting any of the grants before we are now. Sprint and Clearwire are two of the worst companies at deficit spending in our industry, with the worst results. Why is the President putting people with vested interests and the worst spending resume in this influential position? Didn't he campaign on not putting lobbyists and special interests in positions of power? We don't need industry insiders; we need someone who has the ability to tell right from wrong without bias. So far the Broadband funds are slated mostly for AT&T who in 100 years hasn't expanded to rural areas while being heavily funded by the Universal Service Fund and many other forms of government assistance. On the other hand, with zero government aid, my company has covered many areas of our county with High Speed Internet using our own funds as a Wireless ISP. The big Telco's will use this money only in high density areas, temporarily undercut pricing with more deficit spending to kill competition, and ultimately no rural expansion all with our tax money, same old tune. I had really hoped the stimulus package was a legitimate opportunity for rural Broadband expansion, and yes, I had hoped for some of those funds, as we are the only Internet Company interested in the low density areas of Yakima County. Now it looks like just another pork repayment to donors. Will we ever be able to count on government to be trusted to deliver what they promise, certainly not from the actions we are witnessing with this overt appointment of a competitor? If you need a solution instead of a complaint here it is, the USDA Rural Grant program has been successful, well guarded against fraud, and distributed to true providers. Take the funds from NTIA and give it to USDA, then we are all on a fair competitive basis for grants. NTIA is a consortium of urban providers; doesn't that conflict with the rural Broadband expansion goal of this legislation? Thank you, Forbes Mercy, 3201 W. Nob Hill Blvd. Yakima, WA 98902-4960 President - Washington Broadband, Inc. [email protected] www.wabroadband.com Ofc 509-853-0858 Cell 509-307-7777 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of chris cooper Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 7:21 AM To: 'WISPA General List' Subject: Re: [WISPA] [Sarcasm Alert] Yippee! Sprint "owns" the NTIA I think that everyone that has a rep on the telecom subcommittee of Commerce committee should contact them to voice concern. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of George Rogato Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 10:16 AM To: WISPA General List Subject: Re: [WISPA] [Sarcasm Alert] Yippee! Sprint "owns" the NTIA I was going to suggest that clear wire would be the biggest winner in this stimulus package. But I didn't want to throw a wet towel at anyone. We still have to take a shot at it and get something. John Scrivner wrote: > Does anyone know the stock symbol for the company that makes KY Jelly? > I think that is where I will be moving my portfolio to. I'll just go > ahead now and predict that Sprint / Clearwire end up with a minimum of > $3B, likely more. > > > TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT... Former Sprint exec tapped as NTIA deputy director > > The Obama administration has named a former Sprint Nextel executive, > Anna Gomez, to serve as deputy director of the National > Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which will > handle as much as $6.65 billion in new stimulus wireless and broadband > grants that will be available to Sprint and its competitors. > > Gomez, former vice president of government affairs with Sprint, is > currently acting director of NTIA, which influences the president's > telecom policy within the Commerce Department. > > NTIA spokesman Bart Forbes said in an interview with the Wall Street > Journal that Gomez understands that the public has "every right to be > concerned about her role in a potential broadband grant program," > because of her history with Sprint. "She is discussing this with the > ethics office and will look to remove herself from the decision-making > process" for grant applications where appropriate, he said. > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------- > > WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------- WISPA Wants You! 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