NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12th 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: October 1, 2009 Mark Wigfield (202) 418-0253 FCC ANNOUNCES PARTICIPANTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA BROADBAND EVENTS Commissioners Clyburn and Copps Host FCC Consumer Forum in Ravenel and Field Hearing in Charleston The FCC is holding two public events in South Carolina on October 5-6 as part of its effort to gather information from experts and consumers for the development of a National Broadband Plan. The public is encouraged to attend and participate in both events. The Commission will be represented by Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, the first-ever South Carolinian to serve in that capacity, as well as by Commissioner Michael Copps, who served as Chief of Staff for former South Carolina Senator and Governor Ernest “Fritz” Hollings. Details about the events are as follows: FCC Consumer Forum on Broadband An opportunity for consumers to share their thoughts on broadband with FCC Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Michael Copps and other local officials Monday, October 5, 2009, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Ravenel Community Hall 5700 Conner Street Ravenel, South Carolina FCC Field Hearing on Broadband Adoption Experts join Commissioners Clyburn and Copps to discuss the challenges to broadband adoption and innovative programs to address the adoption gap Tuesday, October 6, 2009, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Trident Technical College Palmer Campus 66 Columbus Street Charleston Note: Campus Security will direct parking for the event AGENDA: CONSUMER FORUM ON BROADAND Monday, Oct. 5, 6:00 pm The Consumer Forum on Broadband will be an excellent opportunity for community members to share their thoughts about broadband, including any barriers they have faced to adoption. The Commission is particularly eager to hear from consumers who have yet to adopt broadband and the reasons why. The Forum is designed to provide an open dialogue between consumers and government officials in order to develop a more comprehensive and inclusive National Broadband Plan. AGENDA: BROADBAND ADOPTION HEARING Tuesday, Oct. 6, 9:00 a.m. FCC Participants: · Commissioner Michael J. Copps · Commissioner Mignon Clyburn Panel 1: Significance, Benefits and Impact of Broadband Adoption · Stephanie Blunt, Executive Director, Trident Area Agency on Aging · Bernie Mazyck, President and CEO, South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations · Otha Meadows, President and CEO, Trident Urban League · Julius H. Hollis, Founder and Chairman, Alliance for Digital Equality · Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee, VP and Director, Media and Technology Institute, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Panel 2: Lessons Learned in Broadband Adoption and Deployment · Ernest Andrade, Founder and Director, Charleston Digital Corridor · Scott Adams, Aerolina Wireless · Andi Afsar, Chimera Wireless · Dr. Stacey F. Jones, BGTIME · H. Keith Oliver, Home Telephone The FCC is convening a series of hearings this fall to promote an open dialogue between the FCC and the public on development of a National Broadband Plan. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 directed the FCC to submit a National Broadband Plan to Congress by February 17, 2010 that addresses broadband deployment, adoption, affordability, and the use of broadband to advance solutions to various national priorities. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. The request should include a detailed description of the accommodation needed and contact information. Please provide as much advance notice as possible; last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). Updates about the Federal Communications Commission’s development of the National Broadband can be found at http://blog.broadband.com and at http://www.broadband.gov/news.html. You can also follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/FCC.