Federal Communications Commission DA 21-117 DA 21-117 Released: February 5, 2021 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU PROVIDES DETAILS ABOUT EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT PROGRAM ROUNDTABLE Panel Discussions Will Focus on Outreach and Consumer Enrollment, and Provider Participation and Consumer Choice WC Docket No. 20-445 By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) provides additional details about the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program Roundtable Discussion that will take place on February 12, 2021, at 10:00 AM EST. See Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Roundtable Discussion on Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, Public Notice, DA 21-91 (WCB 2021). The event will be convened virtually and will be open to the public on the Internet via live feed from the FCC’s webpage at www.fcc.gov/live. Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 directed the Commission to establish the $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260, div. N, tit. IX, § 904 (2020), available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/133/text (Consolidated Appropriations Act). To further the Commission’s efforts, the Bureau will host these panel discussions to provide Commission staff and interested parties an opportunity to examine actions the Commission should consider to establish the program and to enhance the public record regarding the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. See Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund Assistance, Public Notice, DA 21-14 (WCB 2021) (establishing deadlines for comments of January 25, 2021 and reply comments of February 16, 2021). The event will feature opening remarks from Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel as well as Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington. The roundtable discussion will consist of two, fifty-minute question-and-answer panels moderated by Bureau staff to examine key issues related to the program. The first panel will discuss Emergency Broadband Benefit Program outreach and consumer enrollment considerations. Specifically, the panel will focus on building awareness for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program and issues the Commission should take into account to achieve an effective consumer application and enrollment experience. Panelists include: · Matthew Gerst, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, CTIA · Erica Myers, Lead, Microsoft Airband US-Rural · Travis Noland, Manager of Government Relations, Cherokee Nation · Angela Siefer, Executive Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance · Trinity Thorpe-Lubneuski, Senior Director, Program Administration, Comcast Internet Essentials · Olivia Wein, Attorney, National Consumer Law Center · Dr. Fallon Wilson, Vice President of Policy, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council The second panel will focus on broadband provider participation and consumer choice in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The conversation will consider the current broadband marketplace and how this should inform the Commission’s decisions regarding provider access to the program. Additionally, the panel will discuss the provider enrollment process and ways that process can maximize consumers’ choice of robust broadband to meet their current needs. Panelists include: · Virginia Lam Abrams, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs & Strategic Advancement, Starry, Inc. · Brenda Victoria Castillo, President and CEO, National Hispanic Media Coalition · Anisa Green, Director, Federal Regulatory, AT&T · Steve Morris, Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, NCTA · Jonathan Nez, President, Navajo Nation · Francella Ochillo, Executive Director, Next Century Cities · Michael Romano, Senior Vice President of Industry Affairs & Business Development, NTCA Up-to-date information regarding the roundtable discussion can be found on the event page: https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/events/2021/02/roundtable-emergency-broadband-benefit-program. This will include the agenda, panelist biographies, how to watch the event, and how to submit questions for the panels. The Bureau welcomes questions, which can submitted prior to the event by email to outreach@fcc.gov. Questions submitted during the event will be included in the panel discussions time permitting. Open captioning will be provided for this event. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. The request should include a detailed description of the accommodation needed and contact information. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible in order to allow the agency to satisfy such requests whenever possible. Send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530. For further information, please contact Christian Hoefly at christian.hoefly@fcc.gov. - FCC - 2