80 FR 60645 - Community Broadband Workshop

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 194 (October 7, 2015)

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), as part of its BroadbandUSA initiative will hold a one-day regional broadband Workshop, ``California Broadband Workshop,'' to help communities expand their broadband capacity and increase utilization of broadband. The Workshop will put forward best practices and lessons learned from network infrastructure build-outs and digital inclusion programs from California and surrounding states, including projects funded by NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and State Broadband Initiative (SBI) grant programs. It also will include access to regional policymakers, federal funders and industry providers. The California Broadband Workshop will also explore the impact of municipal networks on local and regional economic development and discuss effective business and public-private partnership models, as well as lessons learned in the implementation of networks, adoption and use of broadband.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 194 (Wednesday, October 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60645-60646]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25505]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration


Community Broadband Workshop

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA), as part of its BroadbandUSA initiative will hold a one-day 
regional broadband Workshop, ``California Broadband Workshop,'' to help 
communities expand their broadband capacity and increase utilization of 
broadband. The Workshop will put forward best practices and lessons 
learned from network infrastructure build-outs and digital inclusion 
programs from California and surrounding states, including projects 
funded by NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and 
State Broadband Initiative (SBI) grant programs. It also will include 
access to regional policymakers, federal funders and industry 
providers. The California Broadband Workshop will also explore the 
impact of municipal networks on local and regional economic development 
and discuss effective business and public-private partnership models, 
as well as lessons

[[Page 60646]]

learned in the implementation of networks, adoption and use of 
broadband.

DATES: The California Broadband Workshop will be held on November 17, 
2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Hahn Auditorium at the 
Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA, 
94043.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Brown, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 4889, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20230; telephone: (202) 482-4374; email: [email protected]. Please 
direct media inquiries to NTIA's Office of Public Affairs, (202) 482-
7002; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The California Broadband Workshop will 
include presentations from representatives of NTIA's BroadbandUSA 
initiative, who will discuss lessons learned through NTIA's 
implementation of the BTOP and SBI grants and explore key elements 
required for successful broadband projects using a mix of regional 
examples. Panel presentations will discuss real-world examples of how 
broadband and the high-speed applications it makes possible, such as 
those used in Smart Cities, help spur community economic development, 
workforce development and education. Topics will include state- and 
regional-level implementation, including marketing/demand aggregation, 
outreach, coordination with government agencies, partnership 
strategies, construction and oversight. One panel will examine 
municipal networks, economic development, and business model options, 
including private networks, public/private partnerships, co-ops and 
municipal systems. Panelists will also provide tips to communities on 
financing options and how to research grant opportunities, make a 
compelling case to funders and leverage multiple federal and state 
funding streams.
    The Workshop will be open to the public and press on a first come, 
first served basis. Since space is limited, however, NTIA requests that 
interested individuals pre-register for the workshop. Information on 
how to pre-register for the meeting will be available on NTIA's Web 
site: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/other-publication/2015/CABroadbandSummit.
    NTIA will ask registrants to provide their first and last names and 
email addresses for both registration purposes and to receive any 
updates on the Workshop. If capacity for the meeting is reached prior 
to the meeting, NTIA will maintain a waiting list and will inform those 
on the waiting list if space becomes available.
    The public meeting is physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Individuals requiring accommodations, such as language 
interpretation or other ancillary aids, are asked to notify the NTIA 
contact listed above at least seven (7) business days before the 
meeting.
    Meeting updates and relevant documents will be also available on 
NTIA's Web site at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/other-publication/2015/CABroadbandSummit.

    Dated: October 2, 2015.
Kathy D. Smith,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-25505 Filed 10-6-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-60-P