Dear editor,
We are grateful to Sen. Cynthia Lummis for her efforts in getting Rip and Replace funding included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.
Rip and Replace is a program many people may not be familiar with, but it is incredibly important to keep people connected through secure networks in Wyoming.
People in large cities often take for granted the ability to make a phone call, upload a photo to social media, or dial 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency, but those in our most rural communities of Wyoming know these struggles all too well.
Congress established Rip and Replace in 2019 because it realized Chinese-manufactured equipment in our broadband and mobile networks posed a serious threat to our national security and legislatively banned the equipment.
After the ban, Congress appropriated funds to reimburse companies for replacing the Chinese-made hardware. Unfortunately, however, the funds approved for the program were significantly deficient.
Sen. Lummis recognized the issues Union Wireless and many of our nation’s smallest providers faced and began raising the alarm over this issue.
As opportunities for full funding presented themselves, she, along with other elected officials that understood the absolute necessity of completely funding the program, introduced amendments or bills to fully fund Rip and Replace.
Finally, her colleagues listened and the NDAA included just over $3 billion in funding for Rip and Replace, which should entirely fund the program.
Without her fierce and forceful efforts, Union Wireless would not be able to replace the insecure equipment, which would cause communities to lose access to broadband and mobile services.
Eric Woody
CEO, Union Wireless
