FCC hosting public broadband 'workshops' this summer
July 2, 2009
Julius Genachowski was sworn in as the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Monday, but the new chairman already has staked out an ambitious agenda to bring broadband access to every resident in America.
Beginning in August, the FCC will host a series of public workshops to gather input from broadband providers and consumers on the national broadband plan. The goal of the workshops will be to "promote an open dialogue between the FCC and key constituents," according to the newly launched website broadband.gov.
At a speech Wednesday in Erie, Pennsylvania, Genachowski said expanding broadband infrastructure "will be the platform for growth and opportunity for us, our children and our children's children."
The government is promising billions in broadband grants and loans to expand access into rural and underserved communities, but much is at stake in the development of a broader broadband plan, including whether broadband internet will become more competitively priced or if it comes under control of a handful of major providers.
"Tell us about the needs of your community and your hopes and aspirations for the national broadband plan," Genachowski said at a school in Erie. "This is about those who we risk leaving behind if we don't pursue a national broadband strategy."
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