What's in a name? Quite a bit, if you ask the Rural Cellular Association. It's becoming the Competitive Carriers Association to reflect a membership shift from smaller providers that often serve the countryside to a much more urbane roster that includes Clearwire, Sprint and T-Mobile, on top of grown-up existing members. Not surprisingly given the advocacy group's recent bedfellows, the name switch also emphasizes the attempt to resist a consolidation of power in US telecom -- CCA membership is limited to carriers with under 80 million subscribers, which conveniently excludes heavyweights AT&T and Verizon. Although rebranding is a symbolic gesture first and foremost, the group is no doubt hoping the name will make its intentions clearer the next time a big spectrum swap rolls around.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Rural Cellular Association rebrands as Competitive Carriers Association, mirrors its move to the big city originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.