[1st-mile-nm] FCC Broadband Workshop

[Harris, Brian, WEU NMAGO]

FCC AND USDA TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS ON RURAL BROADBAND IN
AUSTIN, TEXAS AND PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that
registration is still open for the two remaining regional educational
workshops on rural broadband:  

September 18, 2008:  Austin, Texas
	
November 20, 2008:  Phoenix, Arizona

These workshops are designed to provide communities, organizations, and
businesses in rural America seeking to bring the benefits of broadband
to their communities with an opportunity to learn about the resources,
programs, and policies of the FCC and USDA.  They follow two workshops
held earlier this year in Blacksburg, Virginia and Saginaw, Michigan.

The topics to be covered at the workshops include the following:
different technology platforms used to provide broadband services, USDA
funding for broadband deployment, the Universal Service Fund, the FCC's
Rural Health Care Pilot program, and wireless spectrum access.  The
workshops will also provide communities and organizations an opportunity
to share their experiences about broadband deployment in rural and
hard-to-reach areas.
  
The workshops will be held free of charge; however, attendees will be
responsible for providing their own transportation, lodging, and meals.
If you are interested in attending one of these workshops, please
register no later than August 15, 2008 for the Austin workshop or
October 10, 2008 for the Phoenix workshop.   

Below is the information required to register:
o	Community/Organization Name
o	Address
o	Phone Number
o	Email Address
o	Contact Person
o	Workshop Location You Wish to Attend
o	Number of Expected Attendees
o	Description of Accommodations Required for People with
Disabilities
(Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities will be made
available upon request.)

There are several ways for you to register for a workshop:  

o	Online.  Go to the FCC's website at
http://wireless.fcc.gov/outreach/ruralbroadband/workshop and fill in the
online registration form.

o	By Email.  Send the information outlined above in an email to
ruralworkshop at fcc.gov.

o	By Telephone.  Call (877) 480-3201 and press Option 1.  
For TTY, dial (717) 338-2824.

o	By U.S. Mail.  Send a letter with the information outlined above
to: 
		Federal Communications Commission
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
ATTN: Matt Nodine
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554  

A community or organization can register for only one workshop.  The
contact person listed in the registration will receive additional
information at a later date regarding the workshop selected, including
the exact time and venue, as well as a detailed agenda.

For additional information about the workshops, please visit the FCC's
website at http://wireless.fcc.gov/outreach/ruralbroadband/; send an
email to ruralworkshop at fcc.gov; or contact Cecilia Sulhoff at  (202)
418-0587 or Matt Nodine at (202) 418-1646.  Further information on rural
programs is available on the FCC/USDA Broadband Opportunities for Rural
America website at http://wireless.fcc.gov/outreach/ruralbroadband, at a
local USDA Rural Development office, and on the USDA's web site at
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov. 


- FCC - 

News and other information about the Federal Communications Commission
 is available at www.fcc.gov.

This URL is better.

http://wireless.fcc.gov/outreach/index.htm?job=workshop