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 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: 
 October  15,  2004  Lauren  Patrich  at  (202)  418-  7944  Email:  lauren.  patrich@  fcc.  gov 
 FCC  AND  USDA  TO  HELP  CREATE  WIRELESS  BROADBAND  MODEL  COMMUNITIES  IN  RURAL  AMERICA 
 Rural  Wireless  Community  VISION  Program  Will  Provide  Expert  Assistance  Directly  to  Rural  America 
 WASHINGTON,  D.  C.  –  Today,  the  FCC’s  Wireless  Telecommunications  Bureau  (WTB)  launched  the  Rural  Wireless  Community  VISION  Program  to  advance  the  deployment  of 
 broadband  wireless  telecommunications  across  rural  America.  The  VISION  Program  will  harness  synergies  between  WTB  and  USDA’s  Rural  Utilities  Service  (RUS)  to  develop  model  rural 
 communities  using  the  two  agencies’  experts  in  engineering,  technical,  project  finance,  and  other  practical  aspects  of  launching  wireless  broadband  services. 


 Rural  communities  will  be  selected  as  participants  in  the  VISION  Program  based  on  an  essay  describing  their  community’s  vision  for  wireless  connectivity  and  services  and  how  the 
 community  will  benefit  from  the  implementation  of  this  vision.  WTB  staff  working  in  cooperation  with  RUS  financial  loan-  grant  officers  and  regional  field  representatives  will  work  on-  site  with 
 community  and  business  leaders  to  assist  the  deployment  of  wireless  broadband  in  the  community.  Applications  for  the  assistance  available  through  the  VISION  program  for  the  first  quarter  of  2005 
 are  due  on  December  1,  2004.  More  information  on  the  Rural  Wireless  Community  VISION  Program,  including  program  information,  essay  guidelines,  and  applications  are  available  on-  line 
 at  http://  wireless.  fcc.  gov/  outreach/  ruralvision/  index.  html.  The  program  is  open  to  any  rural  community  in  the  United  States  and  its  territories. 


 The  VISION  Program  is  the  latest  innovation  developed  under  the  Joint  Federal  Rural  Wireless  Outreach  Initiative,  http://  www.  usda.  gov/  rus/  jointoutreach,  a  partnership  between  WTB 
 and  RUS.  The  VISION  Program  is  designed  to  encourage  rural  government  and  business  leaders  to  develop  their  own  vision  of  how  broadband  access  would  benefit  their  community.  Access  to  e-commerce, 
 e-  government,  telemedicine,  and  distance  learning  can  translate  into  better  jobs,  more  responsive  government,  improved  health  care,  greater  educational  opportunities,  and  a  brighter 
 future  for  a  rural  community. 
 WTB  Chief  John  B.  Muleta  described  the  VISION  program  as  “a  way  to  bring  our  experts  directly  to  rural  communities  in  order  to  help  them  determine  the  best  wireless  broadband  solution 
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 for  their  particular  community.  We  hope,  in  turn,  that  these  communities  will  serve  as  role  models  for  other  communities  looking  to  enjoy  the  benefits  of  wireless  services.”  Since  the  launch  of  the 
 Joint  Federal  Rural  Wireless  Outreach  Initiative,  the  FCC  has  addressed  several  issues  facing  telecommunications  services  in  rural  America.  Most  recently,  in  September  2004,  the  Commission 
 issued  new  rules  that,  among  other  things,  permit  increased  power  levels  for  wireless  services  in  rural  areas.  Also,  for  the  first  time  in  Commission  history,  the  FCC  is  permitting  licenseholders 
 for  wireless  services  to  grant  a  security  interest  in  their  licenses  to  the  RUS,  a  development  aimed  at  assisting  rural  wireless  providers  in  obtaining  low-  cost  capital. 


 For  more  information  on  the  Rural  Wireless  Community  VISION  Program,  visit  http://  wireless.  fcc.  gov/  outreach/  ruralvision/  index.  html  or  send  an  e-  mail  to 
 WTBCommunityVision@  fcc.  gov.  Information  is  also  available  through  Nancy  Plon,  Wireless  Telecommunications  Bureau  Community  Vision  Program  Coordinator  at  (202)  418-  2899. 


 -FCC- 
 Other  news  about  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  can  be  found  on  the  Commission’s  web  site  at  www.  fcc.  gov. 
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