NATCO Management Attends Conference on 'Rural Matters'

Steven G. Sanders Jr., General Manager at NATCO, recently attended the Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA) Spring Meeting in Palm Springs, California. WTA represents over 250 small rural local exchange providers in the 24 states west of the Mississippi River who provide high-quality voice, data, and video services in high cost rural areas.

The theme of the conference was "Why Rural Matters," and included sessions on the opportunities broadband internet access provides for rural and small town America. FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly spoke on the challenges and opportunities facing the rural industry and expressed concerns that existing regulations often unnecessarily siphon money away from broadband deployment and adoption efforts.

WTA advocates for the telecom interests of rural Americans before federal and state regulators and the United States Congress. WTA also provides a gathering place for member education and interchange of information with the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a lending arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sanders, who has served on the organization's Board of Directors since 2011, is committed to preserving affordable services for NATCO's rural service area, while providing the most advanced broadband and communications services possible to the citizens it serves.    

NATCO is a locally owned and operated independent communications company which has served customers throughout the Twin Lakes area, including Marion, Boone and Baxter Counties for 64 years. For further information, call toll free, 800-775-6682 or visit natconet.com. NATCO offices are at 301 E. Main St., Flippin, AR 72634.