By TMEPA
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Tennessee’s private telecommunications companies are seeking to block legislation that would bring competition and consumer choice to broadband.
“If a community wants better broadband service, faster speeds, more competition, and more choices, it should have access to them,” said Jeremy Elrod, Director of Government Relations for the Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association (TMEPA). “Whether the service is from a private or municipal provider, a local community should be able to decide for itself how broadband is offered. Right now the private incumbent providers are deciding for communities and consumers, telling them to be happy with whatever they get offered.”
Legislation (SB1134/HB1303) will be heard in House and Senate committees tomorrow that seeks to remove the territory restriction on broadband services offered by Tennessee’s municipal electric systems. This change in the law would allow municipal electric broadband to expand to more areas where it is needed if those communities want it. TMEPA is supporting the legislation.
At least 422,000 households across Tennessee don’t have access to landline internet speeds that meet the FCC definition of high speed broadband, 25 mbps download/3 mbps upload.
While wireless and satellite providers cover much of the state, many customers do not prefer them for home, business, commercial or industrial use because of monthly data caps and signal/connectivity issues.
“Private telecommunications companies are seeking to block legislation that would help bring service to unserved areas, yet they are refusing to offer the service in those areas themselves,” said Elrod. “It’s similar to a dog guarding a haystack. He doesn’t want to eat it, but he doesn’t want any other animal to eat it either.”
TMEPA is made up of the state’s 60 municipal electric systems which serve 2.1 million homes and businesses, or 70% of Tennessee’s electric customers. Eight municipal electric systems offer broadband service.