The
Broadband Service Providers Association (BSPA) is going away, with its members
to be folded into the American Cable Association, which represents small and
midsized cable and telecom companies.
That is
according to an ex parte filing with the FCC on the proposed
Comcast/NBCU joint venture.
As part of its disclosure of a July 30 meeting with top FCC staffers,
representatives of BSPA's four members, RCN, Knology, SureWest and Hiawatha
Broadband, said they had decided to have ACA represent their interests instead,
citing "marketplace changes and the congruence of policy interests between
BSPs and mid-size and smaller independent providers of voice, video and
broadband."
"ACA
is pleased to welcome RCN and Knology into the independent operator family.
These experienced companies are joining us at a critical stage in our ongoing
effort to secure fair and non-discriminatory policy results for independent
operators serving hometown America," said American Cable Association
President Matt Polka. Hiawatha and SureWest are already ACA members.
BSPA's
membership ranks have been declining as SureWest and Knology acquired several
former members and others were bought by companies not belonging to BSPA.
