Rural telecoms seek to double funding in rip-and-replace program mandated by Congress

The Rural Wireless Association is asking the Federal Communications Commission to significantly increase its funding proposal to Congress for a rip-and-replace program focused on telecoms with less than two million customers.

The Secure and Trusted Communications Act, signed to law last month, is designed to create a $1 billion rip-and-replace program to help telecom providers that are currently using equipment or services from untrusted suppliers. It also allows the FCC to request more funds from Congress if the agency...