Let me take just a moment to talk about what we are attempting to do here in the senate. Exaggeration and hyperbole is the order of the day. Say always reluctant to this truly could be one of the most important things we as members of this committee do. What the world is experiencing today, what the United States is facing today, is one of the most significant challenges that a lot of us will face in our lifetime. The bad news, the really bad possibleit is entirely that it will happen again, and i say this because the experts virus thatt this made the leap from one species can very easily happen again. There are 2000 of these viruses out there. Dohave no idea what they can if they get into a human being. Us they haves tell identified within their ranks about 2000 different viruses. Having said that, we need to want toward, and i stress what i am trying to do with this and what all of us are trying to do, look forward. There are a lot of hearings going on. Theres a lot of hyperbole goin
Can actually provide ubiquitous access. Its a great mission. Host what are some of the companies you represent . Guest well, just this month i was able to spend time with alaska communications, flew down from there to western new mexico with western new mexico communications. Both focused on Rural Communities and extending next Generation Broadband Services to them. All the way up to companies that are national in scope and vision from at t and verizon and centurylink and consolidated, frontier, windstream. Its a consortium of companies that are very different, different Business Models but are bound together by a singular vision to get more broadband out to more americans and do so with smart policies. Host before we Start Talking about some of those policies, give us a sense of your background. Its a little bit eclectic, isnt it . Guest and ill take that as a compliment, thank you. I have been in the business of technology for a good part of my career, leading companies both in Silic
Proposals and great work from the staff of those of republican and the democrat side and i look forward to seeing progress. The bills to be extended are targeted and promoting innovation, cutting the red tape and advancing Public Safety. To highlight each though i do want to call attention to a couple of resolutions expressing the Guiding Principles on broadband infrastructure that should underpin our efforts first. Any funds for broadband in an infrastructure package should go to underserved areas. Second, as noted, the federal government should not be picking winners and losers in the marketplace. It should be competitively and technologically if we adhere to these principles im confident we can avoid the pitfalls. Most Important Congress should be mindful of the significant amounts of private capital to support broadband deployment. Since the passage of the bipartisan 96 act, the private sector has invested roughly 1. 6 trillion in the networks. To classify the competitive broadband
What is u. S. Telecom . First of all, thank you, it is great to be back in washington. I am excited about working with our numbers and reconnecting its a pleasure. U. S. Telecom is a Wonderful Community of broadway innovators who are men and women doing the hard work of digging the trenches and laying the fiber to light up the next generation of Internet Innovation we are all gloriously experiencing. Our companies are busy serving tens of millions of customers in each of the 50 states, the district of columbia, tribal , nds, in colorado, new mexico and also making sure the access provided to Broadband Services is not only in the smallest, most remote communities that are the hardest to reach but also some of our largest urban centers as well as the suburbs and areas in between. Our members are men and women north state. Of communications in North Carolina who has been working in the area around high point to deliver very advance Broadband Services to communities that he serves. And his
Brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. Host and this week on the communicators, we want to introduce you to the new president and ceo of u. S. Telecom, Jonathan Spalter. First of all, mr. Spalter, welcome to the washington world again. What is u. S. Telecom . Guest well, first of all, and thank you for your welcome. Its great to be back near washington, and im very excited about working with our members and reconnecting with old friends and making new friends in washington d. C. Its a pleasure. U. S. Telecom a Wonderful Community of broadband innovators who are the men and women who have been doing the hard work of digging the trenches, laying the fiber to light up this next generation of Internet Innovation that we all are gloriously experiencing. Our companies are busy serving tens of millions of customer in each of the 50 states and district of columbia, tribal lands in colorado, in new mexico and are also very busy making sure that access is provided to Broadband