A Partnership for Future Success
By Matt Polka
The American Cable Association’s Washington, D.C., Summit in March was a special occasion. Not only did ACA break records in terms of exhibitors, attendees, and number of lobbying visits, but ACA also celebrated its 25th anniversary as the Washington “voice” for independent cable, phone and broadband providers.
So we went back to the future! ACA’s theme for its Summit and 25th Anniversary was, “Standing the Test of Time.”
As we spoke with the early leaders of ACA, we heard repeatedly that what contributed to ACA’s ability to stand firm in Washington was our members’ commitment to tell their stories and concerns personally to the powers that be. We explained then and now that ACA’s members are hometown businesses in small and medium-sized communities. Those ACA leaders in 1993 explained to everyone, whether in the halls of Congress or at the Federal Communications Commission, that smaller, local cable companies are vital to the communications successes of small communities.
Once the nascent ACA team began making its mark in Washington, policies emerged to encourage this sector. ACA members have always been Main Street businesses and essential parts of the economic engine of hometown communities, from wiring cable to building redundant broadband networks. ACA members are vital to the local residential, business, educational and institutional success of their local communities.
For ACA members, SCTE•ISBE provides the critical resources to prioritize technology initiatives. SCTE standards and its comprehensive list of vendor partners help ACA’s members make financial investments securely, knowing the partnership with SCTE•ISBE can open the door to cost-effective options that accelerate future technology deployment.
In addition to detailed webinars and the industry’s richest catalogue of learning and development courses, SCTE•ISBE highlights international vendors, services and new products at SCTE•ISBE Cable-Tec Expo®, the largest cable event in the Americas. SCTE•ISBE’s chapter meetings offer ACA members the opportunity to meet face to face and explore technology options.
We who lobby understand how difficult it is to convey complex technology issues, such as software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV). With SCTE•ISBE, ACA has created the partnership that yields the best of both worlds: We learn first hand how our members should leverage technology investment and products, and, thanks to SCTE•ISBE’s expertise, explain to regulators the real-world impact of these services.
And the partnership between ACA and SCTE•ISBE continues to deliver on real world impact of technology investment. SCTE standards are a roadmap ACA members can use for their continued broadband expansion.
That expansion is also the direct result of the current federal regulatory framework that encourages investment and promotes the efforts of small businesses.
ACA members understand too that they must work with local businesses to offer these services. Many ACA members are hosting local business conferences to explain how broadband will be deployed and how these increased speeds can assist businesses. Whether it’s an expanded presence on the web, managing data for employees or creating more efficient banking services, broadband makes the difference for small business expansion.
An example of that investment can be found in Grimes, Iowa, near Des Moines. ACA Member Mediacom recently completed its partnership with local Grimes community leaders. Here’s their report:
“The City of Grimes, in the heart of Iowa, is a small community with a big vision for urban growth. The challenge was to attract businesses and a broader population to an area where connectivity was patchy and an effective technology infrastructure did not exist.
“Grimes partnered with Mediacom Business and implemented a scalable broadband solution that local businesses could connect to. As a developing community, Grimes realized the importance of hard-wired broadband infrastructure in their plan to grow and flourish, and partnering with Mediacom Business allowed them to install the right solution that accommodates both current and future needs.”
Traveling back in time to 1993 showed us that the best way to succeed is to continue to tell our story. The partnership between ACA and SCTE•ISBE stands as an industry model to grow broadband services, where we invest, build and demonstrate the value to our communities and beyond.
Matt Polka
President and CEO
American Cable Association
President and CEO Matthew M. Polka is responsible for the operations and affairs of the American Cable Association, an 800-member association dedicated to serving the interests of providers of broadband, phone and video services to nearly 8 million customers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets. Mr. Polka, an attorney, joined ACA as its first president in 1997. Prior to joining ACA, Mr. Polka was the VP and General Counsel of Pittsburgh-based Star Cable Associates.
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