UCC's OC Inc. joined nine prominent national civil rights, public interest, and women and minority groups joined forces with six small wireless businesses, including minority-owned businesses to file an Amicus Curiae Brief last Friday, August 15, in a case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.  The filing challenges FCC rules that made it difficult for small businesses and minority and women owned businesses to compete in the FCC's recent spectrum auction.  These rules make the telecommunications industry less competitive and less diverse. 

"We joined the brief because we were concerned about the FCC's decision-making," said Cheryl Leanza, Policy Director for the Office of Communication, United Church of Christ, Inc. "Access to capital is a major hurdle for small businesses and a serious barrier to increasing diversity and competition.  Diversity in media ownership is a primary concern of the UCC, and the FCC's track record in promoting diversity of ownership has been dismal in a wide range of proceedings.  Because the FCC has allowed diversity in ownership to languish at the back of the bus, we must resort to the courts to resolve this matter."

Read the complete press release here