*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 17158* NEWS News media Information 202 / 418- 0500 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D. C. Circ 1974). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: February 11, 2000 Michael Balmoris (202) 418- 0253 mbalmori@ fcc. gov Joint Announcement of Federal and State Members of the Federal- State Joint Conference on Advanced Services Field Hearing Schedule Washington, DC – Today, the federal and state members of the Joint Conference announced a schedule of six field hearings to gather information on the status of deployment of advanced services to all Americans. The field hearings will focus on two goals in particular. First, the Joint Conference will seek information on what data is available at the state level on the status of deployment of advanced services. Second, the Joint Conference will seek examples of “best practices” in successful deployment in communities. Some communities have found creative ways to bring high speed Internet access to areas that were previously underserved. For example, a community may speed deployment by bringing many potential users of advanced services together, thereby aggregating demand to increase their buying power. A compilation of creative efforts, or best practices, will provide guidance to communities in other states to speed deployment of advanced services. Transcripts of each field hearing will be made available to the public as soon as possible after each field hearing. The field hearing schedule is as follows: Meeting of Joint Conference and Initial Hearing  Washington, DC March 8, 2000, time to be determined.  Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Chairman William Kennard and Chair of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, Nanette Thompson.  All FCC and State Commissioners will attend the first field hearing in Washington, DC, as their schedules permit.  Special focus on broadband deployment in inner cities. 1 Western Regional Field Hearing  Anchorage, Alaska April 17, 2000, time to be determined.  Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Commissioner Susan Ness and Chair of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, Nanette Thompson.  Special focus on the relationship between advanced services deployment and economic development, satellite deployment. Midwestern Regional Field Hearing  South Sioux City, Nebraska April 19, 2000, time to be determined.  Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Chairman William Kennard and Chair of the North Carolina Utilities Commission, Jo Anne Sanford.  Special focus on cable and fixed wireless deployment and deployment in rural areas. Northeastern Regional Field Hearing  Lowell, Massachusetts May 22, 2000, time to be determined.  Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Commissioner Michael Powell and Public Utility Commission of Texas Commissioner Brett Perlman.  Special focus on public/ private partnerships, deployment in remote areas, and data gathering initiatives. Gulf States and Southeast Regional Field Hearing  Miami, Florida June 9, 2000, time to be determined.  Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani, Louisiana Public Service Commission Chair Irma Muse Dixon, North Carolina Utilities Commission Chair Jo Anne Sanford, and Public Utility Commission of Texas Commissioner Brett Perlman.  Special focus on deployment to rural and urban multicultural communities, fixed wireless deployment, and public/ private partnerships. Mountain West Regional Field Hearing  Cheyenne, Wyoming June 23, 2000, time to be determined.  Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Commissioner Harold Furchtgott- Roth and Wyoming Public Service Commission Deputy Chair Steven Furtney.  Special focus on speeding deployment via community demand aggregation, deployment in rural areas and Indian Territory, data gathering initiatives. Further information about the Joint Conference can be found on its web site: www. fcc. gov/ jointconference -- FCC -- Common Carrier Bureau Contact: Emily Hoffnar (202) 418- 0940 TTY: (202) 418- 0484 2