Connecting Rural America Finds That Oregonians Want Better Rural ...

Tag : Internet Phone Call
MEDFORD, Ore. - (Business Wire) According to a recent statewidepoll, nine out of 10 Oregonians feel it is important to havereliable and consistent cellular phone coverage in rural areas forpublic health and safety. Nearly 75 percent also said reliabilityof service, wireless coverage and call quality are the mostimportant wireless issues they want the federal government toaddress.
The opinion poll – commissioned by Connecting Rural America – also found that Oregonians overwhelmingly support the use offederal Universal Service Fund (USF) dollars to build and expandcell phone and wireless communication technology in rural areas.The USF was created by Congress in 1996 to provide wirelesscarriers with an incentive to build communications networks insparsely populated rural areas that are too small to supportinvestment. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) isconsidering proposals to drastically cut USF support for ruralwireless, jeopardizing public safety and economic development insmaller communities.
Statewide, according to the poll results, rural Oregonians consideraccess to a wireless phone on a high-quality, reliable network tobe as important as access to a quality land line broadband Internetconnection. Roughly half (51%) of Oregonians would choose awireless cell phone over a traditional landline if they could onlychoose one type of service.
“ People everywhere depend on their cell phones to meet criticalsafety and personal needs, ” said John E. Rooney, President and CEO of U.S. Cellular, a keysupporter of the Connecting Rural America campaign. “ Cutting federal funding significantly will put the safety of ruralcitizens and emergency personnel at risk, and for a savings toconsumers of just seventeen cents per month. ”
In rural Oregon, as in other parts of rural America, firstresponders like firefighters and police officers rely on cellphones in domestic violence situations and undercover activities,and to aid communications in areas where police radio is unsecureor unavailable. Additionally, nearly 300,000 emergency 9-1-1 callsare placed via cell phones every day nationwide.
“ We need reliable wireless service to protect the health andsecurity of our citizens, to conduct search-and-rescue operationsand to assist first responders in the aftermath of disasters, ” said Jackson County Sheriff, Michael Winters. “ In many cases, and particularly with respect to homeland security,reliable wireless service can literally mean the difference betweenlife and death. ”
Connecting Rural America opposed the FCC ’ s decision to cap USF support for wireless in March, 2008. The FCCis now considering regulatory changes that could cut USF supportfor wireless by up to 58 percent in Oregon, costing the stateapproximately $13 million per year and jeopardizing more than halfof the new cell phone towers planned for rural Oregon. FCC actionon these proposals could come at any time.
The poll was conducted by Fako & Associates of Lisle, Illinoison July 9 – 14, 2008. The survey was conducted by telephone among a randomsample of 602 adult (age 18+) residents of the State of Oregonusing random digit dialing (RDD) methodology. The survey has amargin of error of +/- 4.00%. A full summary of poll results isavailable on request.
Connecting Rural America is a grassroots coalition of concernedcitizens, community leaders and elected officials working forequality in wireless telecommunications. Its goal is to providerural communities with the same access to technology as their urbancounterparts. Visit www.ConnectingRuralAmerica.org to learn more.
For Connecting Rural America
Public Relations Counsel
Bruce Kehe, bruce@kehecommunications.com
Office: 503-290-8699, Cell: 541-531-9185
or
U.S. Cellular
Media Relations
Jonathan Guer í n, jonathan.guerin@uscellular.com
Office: 773-399-4379, Cell: 773-317-0113