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: May 9, 2011 Mark Wigfield, 202-418-0253 Email: mark.wigfield@fcc.gov PUBLIC FORUM, PANELISTS SLATED FOR MAY 18 OMAHA FIELD WORKSHOP ON MODERNIZING UNIVERSAL SERVICE FOR BROADBAND A forum providing Nebraska residents and businesses an opportunity to comment on the need for broadband in their communities will be featured in the FCC’s final workshop on reforming the Universal Service Fund (USF) and intercarrier compensation (ICC) system. The workshop will be a key input into the Commission’s deliberations on critical reforms to modernize a program that helped achieve universal phone service in the last century to support 21st Century broadband. The public forum will be the final session of a field workshop at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The remainder of the day will focus on how states and the federal government can work together on reforms to increases broadband availability and encourage deployment of advanced Internet Protocol networks. 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 FCC’s Universal Service Fund has helped connect virtually every American to telephone service. The FCC is now focused on modernizing the program into a Connect America Fund capable of efficiently connecting every American to broadband. The agency is also reforming the related Intercarrier Compensation regimen, a relic of the voice communications era, to increase investment in advanced networks. WHAT: Workshop on Defining the Federal/State Partnership in a Broadband World WHERE: Thompson Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6705 Dodge St., Omaha, NE 68186 WHEN: Wednesday, May 18, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. CDT WHO: FCC Chairman, Commissioners, and staff; state public utility commissioners and staff; outside panelists LIVESTREAM: http://www.fcc.gov/live EMAIL ADDRESS FOR QUESTIONS TO THE WORKSHOP MODERATOR: USFICCReform@fcc.gov TWITTER QUESTIONS: tweet @fcc or use #FCClive; email to livequestions@fcc.gov AGENDA Note: this preliminary agenda is subject to change 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Welcome Remarks: · Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission (Chair, Universal Service Federal/State Joint Board) · Michael Copps, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission · Robert McDowell, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission (via video) · Anne Boyle, Commissioner, Nebraska Public Service Commission · Larry Landis, Commissioner, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (State Chair, Federal/State Joint Conference on Advanced Services) · John Burke, Board Member, Vermont Public Service Board 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Panel: The Evolution of the State/Federal Partnership in a Broadband World Participants: · Moderator: Alex Minard, Attorney Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau · Peter Bluhm, Consultant for Rolka, Loube, Saltzer Associates (co-author of NRRI’s “Carriers of Last Resort: Updating a Traditional Doctrine”) · Doug Garrett, Regional Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, West Region, Cox Communications, Inc. · Tom Conry, General Manager, Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company · Teri Ohta, Senior Corporate Counsel, T-Mobile · Edward Krachmer, Director & Regulatory Counsel, Windstream 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Panel: State and Federal Roles in ICC Reform · Moderator: Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, FCC · Hank Hultquist, Vice President, Federal Regulatory, AT&T · Ken Pfister, Vice President Strategic Policy, Great Plains Communications · Kathleen Abernathy, Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President, Regulatory and Government Affairs and Public Affairs, Frontier Communications, Inc. · Rich Morris, Senior Counsel, Federal and State Government Affairs, Sprint 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Break 3:00 – 4:30 Panel: Targeting Support & Transitioning to the Long Term Connect America Fund Participants: · Moderator: Carol Mattey, Deputy Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau · Jeff Lanning, Director Federal Regulatory, CenturyLink · Kevin Hess, Senior Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, TDS Telecommunications Corp. · Wendy Fast, Owner, Consolidated Telephone Company · Jim Kohler, Deputy Director, Enterprise Technology Services, State of Alaska · Lisa Scalpone, General Counsel, ViaSat/WildBlue · Johnie Johnson, President & CEO, Nex-Tech Wireless 4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Consumer Discussion and Public Forum Opening Remarks Provided by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Participants: · Moderators: Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, FCC and Roger Goldblatt, Associate Bureau Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, FCC · Linda Rice, Nebraska consumer without access to broadband · Lazaro Spindola, Director of the Mexican-American Commission · Mike Arnold, President of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7470 · General public · Federal and state commissioners 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) 418-1500, or via e-mail at patrick.halley@fcc.gov. -FCC-