Attachment letter

letter

LETTER submitted by Alaska Telephone Association

letter

2004-09-07

This document pretains to SAT-AMD-20040322-00057 for Amended Filing on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATAMD2004032200057_398262

201 E. Sotn| Anchorage. Greg Berberich Present (ean) rxwonseg—1000 mssP 13 204 James Rowe "Tioces s Teme? Septemb olimmrcom Michael K. Powell C Chairman Received Federal Communications Commission 445 12" Street, S.W. SEP 2 o 200 Washington, e D.C. 20554 Poliey Branch i Re: contactMEO Communications, LLC; File No. SAT—AMD—2004032200890@!Brea Dear Chairman Powell The Alaska Telephone Association‘ ("ATA") stronuly supports the application of contactMEO Communications, LLC for authority to Iaunch and operate an advanced Ka—band satellite network as described in the above—referenced file.. ATA urges the Commission to move forward quickly so that the people of Alaska can enjoy the many benefits of low—cost broadband communications services as soon as possible. The members ofATA are rural local exchange carriers, many serving communities that are among the most remote in the entire United States. Indeed, many are accessible only by air or water; and only satelltes can provide them with communications connectivity. The amended application submitted by contactMEO, if approved, will permit complete coverage of Alaska, allowing rural Alaskans access t affordable broadband services so terribly lacking today Using the contactMEO satellite network, ATA member carriers will be able to offer schools, libraries and rural healthcare faciities broadband services at costs dramatically lower than those currently paid, thus reducing demand on the Universal Service Fund. Most importantly for the people of Alaska, the reduced costs of providing rural Internet connectivity will foster general access to the Internet by the more than 100 communities that today are without such local access service Aleska has more miles of co i the rest of the United States combined Homeland security infrastructure and support activitis to protect this coastine and the oil pipeline require robust and redundant communications facilities. National defense faciities in the interior of Alaska, container transport and fisheries operations all require modern, broadband telecommunications access. ContactMEO constitutes the answer to these needs. Indeed, ATA is aware of previous Alaska communications endeavors by. the founders of The ATA is a trade association comprised of rural Alaska local exchange telephone companies. Its active members are Alaska Telephone Company; Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative; Bristol Bay Telephone Cooperative, Inc.; Bush—Tell, Inc.; Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc.; Cordova Telephone Cooperative; KPU Telecommunications; Matanuska Telephone Association; Nushagak Electric & Telephone Cooperative, Inc.; OTZ Telephone Cooperative; Summit Telephone Company, Inc., TelAlaska, Inc.; United Utiities, Inc.; and Yukon Telephone Company, Inc.

contactMEO as well as projects outside the state and knows that they are dedicated to and fully capable ofbuilding the satelite network represented by their amended application We look forward to enjoying the promises of Section 254(b)(3) ofthe Telecommunications Act of 1996, which guarantees customers in rural, insular and high cost areas access to telecommunications and information services under terms comparable to urban areas. Granting contactMEO‘s application as soon as possible will facilitate fulfilIment of Section 254)G). Yours trly, 5 3 ym {meskawe \ ec: Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy Commissioner Kevin J. Martin Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein Donald Abelson, Chief, International Bureau Thomas S. Tycz, Chief, Satellite Division


Document Created: 2004-09-29 14:05:19
Document Modified: 2004-09-29 14:05:19
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