ADVISORY 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: April 22, 2011 Mark Wigfield, 202-418-0253 Email: mark.wigfield@fcc.gov PANELISTS ANNOUNCED FOR APRIL 27 WORKSHOP ON MODERNIZING UNIVERSAL SERVICE FOR BROADBAND The second of three workshops on Universal Service reform will focus on modernizing current programs that support voice service into a Connect America Fund (CAF) that will drive investment in and access to 21st Century broadband and voice services in rural areas. Universal service has been central to the Federal Communications Commission’s mission since the Communications Act of 1934 created the agency and committed our nation to making vital communications services accessible to all Americans. The Universal Service Fund has helped connect virtually every American to our 20th Century communications grid. Panel discussions in the morning will focus on current and projected capabilities and deployment costs for different broadband technologies and how such capabilities and costs may impact the implementation of the Connect America Fund. The afternoon panel will focus on targeting support for areas unserved by broadband through the use of a technology-neutral competitive bidding. In addition to the panel discussions, technology demonstrations of satellite broadband and 4G Wireless broadband services will be provided before and after the Workshop panels and during the lunch break. Featuring a broad range of stakeholders, the workshops will inform the FCC’s consideration of proposals from the USF/ICC Transformation NPRM unanimously adopted Feb. 8, 2011. The FCC has indicated that it intends to adopt reforms in this rulemaking in the coming months. WHAT: Workshop on Modernizing Universal Service into a Connect America Fund WHERE: FCC Commission Room, 445 12th St. SW, Washington DC 20554 WHEN: Wednesday, April 27, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. EDT WHO: FCC Chairman, Commissioners, and staff; outside panelists, state commissioners and staff LIVESTREAM: http://www.fcc.gov/live ONLINE PARTICIPATION VIA WEBEX: https://fccevents.webex.com/fccevents/onstage/g.php?d=996413375&t=a EMAIL ADDRESS FOR QUESTIONS TO THE WORKSHOP MODERATOR: USFReform@fcc.gov TELEPHONE BRIDGE: 866-808-8519; Passcode: 3093784. AGENDA Note: this preliminary agenda is subject to change 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductory Remarks from Chairman Julius Genachowski, Commissioners and Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Panel: Broadband Technology Capabilities Today and in the Future · Ralph Brown, Chief Technology Officer, CableLabs · Ken Ko, Senior Staff Scientist, ADTRAN · Paul Mankiewich, Chief Architect, Mobility, Juniper Networks · Mark Dankberg, Chairman & CEO, Viasat, Inc. · Matt Larsen, Owner, Vistabeam · Jim Stegeman, President, CostQuest 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Panel: Implications of Technology Capabilities for Achieving Universal Service Policy Objectives · Mark Cooper, Research Director, Consumer Federation of America · Andrew Newell, General Counsel, Viaero Wireless · Dave Bickett, GM/CEO, Park Region Mutual Telephone/Otter Tail Telcom/Valley Telephone · Phil Jones, Commissioner, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission · Dr. Traci L. Morris, Homahota Consulting LLC and Native Public Media, Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma · David Russell, Solutions Marketing Director, Calix · Christopher McLean, Senior Advisor, Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch break 1:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Presentation: The National Broadband Map Today and Where We Are Headed · Angela Simpson, Advisor to the Assistant Secretary, National Telecommunications and Information Administration · Michael Byrne, Geographic Information Officer, Federal Communications Commission 1:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Panel: Phase 1 of the Connect America Fund –Targeting Support for Unserved Areas Through Technology-Neutral Competitive Bidding · Grant Spellmeyer, Senior Director - Legislative & Regulatory Affairs US Cellular · Jason Hendricks. Director of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs, RT Communications, Inc. · Maggie McCready, Vice President , Federal Regulatory, Verizon · Ross Lieberman, Vice President of Government Affairs, American Cable Association · Jose Jimenez, Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs, Cox Communications · Greg Rosston, Deputy Director, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Technology Demonstration Area Technology demonstrations of satellite broadband service will be provided by WildBlue/ViaSat; demonstrations of 4G Wireless broadband service will be provided by Verizon; and demonstrations of fixed wireless broadband service will be provided by Vistabeam before and after the panels and during the lunch break: (1) 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM, (2) 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM, and (3) 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM. 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 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). For further information, contact Patrick Halley of the Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418- 7550, or via e-mail at patrick.halley@fcc.gov. -FCC-