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 NEWS  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).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  News  Media  Contact:  August  8,  2003  David  Fiske  (202)  418-  0513 
 RURAL  UTILITIES  SERVICE  OF  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE  TO  PARTICIPATE  IN  FCC  RURAL  WIRELESS  ISP  SHOWCASE 
 Event  rescheduled  for  Thursday,  September  18,  2003 
 Washington  D.  C.  -  The  FCC  today  announced  that  the  Rural  Utilities  Service  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  will  participate  in  the  FCC  Rural  Wireless  Internet  Service  Provider 
 (WISP)  Showcase  and  Workshop  in  September  and  will  provide  information  on  how  rural  WISPs  can  apply  for  a  grant  program  for  start-  up  assistance. 


 The  FCC  also  said  that  the  event  will  be  held  Thursday,  September  18,  2003,  instead  of  September  17,  2003,  as  previously  scheduled.  The  forum  will  begin  at  9:  30  AM  and  will  be  held 
 in  the  meeting  room  at  the  FCC,  445  12  th  Street  SW,  Washington,  D.  C. 
 Wireless  ISPs  have  been  sprouting  up  across  rural  America  providing  high-  speed  Internet  access  using  both  licensed  and  unlicensed  spectrum.  Making  use  of  grain  silos,  water  towers, 
 and  pumping  stations  for  tower  sites,  WISPs  are  beginning  to  bring  broadband  service  to  previously  unserved  areas  and  to  provide  new  competition  in  rural  areas  that  already  have 
 broadband  access. 
 The  Rural  WISP  Showcase  will  feature  virtual  tours  of  several  WISPs,  discussions  of  technology,  business  plans,  best  practices,  and  lessons  learned.  In  addition,  it  will  provide  an 
 opportunity  for  the  Commission  to  learn  what,  if  any,  regulatory  barriers  stand  in  the  way  of  rural  WISP  deployment.  Presenters  will  be  service  providers  who  are  providing  high-  speed 
 Internet  service  to  their  rural  customers  and  the  emphasis  will  be  on  real  world,  practical  questions  and  solutions  with  the  goal  of  encouraging  and  enabling  new,  innovative,  and 
 economic  approaches  to  providing  rural  broadband. 
 For  further  information  please  contact  Robert  Pepper,  Chief,  Policy  Development;  email:  Robert.  Pepper@  fcc.  gov;  voice:  202-  418-  2030. 


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