First Ever Association for Telecom and Technology Agents Established

TCSP already engaged in battle over FCC rule that can
have devastating impact on Agents

CHARLESTON, SC – March 9, 2021 – A group of forward-thinking Master Agents and Direct Sellers have come together to create the Technology Channel Sales Professionals (TCSP) association as a means of addressing recent regulations penalizing Agents and future threats to the industry.

“For the first time ever, agents now have a voice to represent us and protect our best interests,” said Darcee Nelan, CEO of Denver based IQ Wired and Chairwoman of TCSP.  “We’re one of the very few industries in the country that hasn’t had an association.  I’m thrilled to have been a part of changing that dynamic,” she added.

TCSP was formed to fight a recent FCC regulation that prevents telecom and technology sales agents from helping rural health care customers meet their connectivity needs.  “In the height of the worldwide pandemic, when rural health care operators need our services the most, the FCC established a rule that said we can’t be compensated on rural health care accounts,” stated Bill Power, CEO of the Alliance Partners and President of TCSP.  “That’s simply unacceptable and we had to do something about it.” Power added.

IQ Wired came together with other leading agents, including Carrier Bid, Intelisys, TBI, Telarus, Telecom National, Top Speed Data and V1 Datacom, to create the non-profit association, raise over $65,000 to cover initial expenses, search for and retain a highly connected Washington lobbying firm, and to create and file a Petition for relief with the FCC.

“On the surface, it looks like the recent regulation merely focuses on agents who work with health care customers at a rural location that participates in the USAC Rural Health Care Program, but the ban is far bigger than that,” explained John Griffin, CEO of Portland, OR headquartered V1 Datacom. Because of the way health care providers participate in the Rural Health Care Program, it is quite common for urban areas to be included in the ban against agents helping them.  “Just because an agent is working on a particular location classified as ‘urban’ doesn’t mean that they won’t be hurt by this rule. A single rural location in the network could ban an agent from the entire network,” Griffin continued.

In addition, the FCC has expressed an interest to ‘harmonize’ the rules across all programs funded by the Universal Service Fund tax, so agents who work with schools, libraries and other customers who are subsidized by the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) E-Rate program will likely also be banned.

“We’ve done a tremendous amount of work in the past few months to address
the flawed FCC regulation.  With that effort in process, we want to reach out to the Agent community. The TCSP is a powerful tool that we can use to address other industry-impacting issues, but we need additional voices. This is a call to rally other Agents together and support our mutual cause.” Nelan stated.

To learn more about TCSP and to view its Petition to the FCC, go to www.TCSP.org or contact the organization at info@TCSP.org.