HARRISBURG, Pa. — Recognizing the historic growth and necessity of high-speed Internet service and digital technology, the Broadband Cable Association of Pennsylvania has formally changed its operating name to the Broadband Communications Association of Pennsylvania (BCAP). The Harrisburg-based trade society – representing dozens of cable operators, programmers and equipment suppliers – chose an identity that best reflects the primary function and expectations of what is a household and business staple – broadband.
“Broadband services have become the connective tissue through which we work, shop, learn, inform and connect.” said Todd Eachus, BCAP President. “Our members provide the broadband services critical to Pennsylvania’s economy, and they have done so through investing more than $12 billion of their own capital to build fast, secure broadband networks. BCAP members continue to innovate and invest in their networks and stand ready to work to address the important issues of broadband access and adoption across the entire commonwealth.”
BCAP, the first state association in the nation representing cable operators, began in 1957 as the Pennsylvania Community Antenna Television Association, later renamed the Pennsylvania Cable Television Association. Changing its name to the Pennsylvania Cable & Telecommunications Association in 1995, the Association formally adopted the “broadband” identity when it transitioned to BCAP – an acronym that will remain – in 2004.
“Technically speaking, broadband is the high-speed transmission of digital voice, data and video signals over a single medium,” said Eachus. “Practically speaking, it is much more and an obvious necessity in today’s digital world. Pennsylvania’s broadband cable companies provide consumers and businesses with the commonwealth’s largest and most reliable fiber network, totaling more than 85,000 miles and available to 95 percent of households in the state.”
Recognizing Pennsylvania as the birthplace of cable and ongoing leader of digital technology deployment, BCAP will continue to recognize its member companies with its “First in Broadband…The Future of Broadband” tagline.