Fixing “Rip & Replace” Funding Shortfall is Key Talk at CCA Show

 

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief

CCA President/CEO Steve Berry talks to IT as the Mobile Carriers Show opened yesterday in Tampa   Sessions begin and the exhibit floor opens today at CCA’s Mobile Carriers Show in Tampa, FL. Tampa is a new location for the conference and pre-registration looks to be “one of the largest” since 2019, according to CCA President/CEO Steve Berry. The $3.7 billion funding shortfall for the “Rip & Replace” reimbursement program is a big topic to be discussed at several events, Berry tells Inside Towers in an interview from Tampa. CCA members have been to Capitol Hill, explaining to lawmakers why more money is needed for smaller carriers to remove untrusted gear from Huawei and ZTE while keeping their networks operational at the same time.  “We have a lot of support,” Berry says, hoping the House and Senate quickly find a way to get more funding passed. However, “We’re getting close to an election year, and there’s only a few vehicles” that would work for funding of this size, he explains. Failure to receive the rest of the needed funds would mean some small carriers will need to leave the business, Berry fears. Continue Reading