Consensus Conference on Municipal Broadband and the Underserved
Should municipal governments enter the broadband field? If so, how should municipal networks be financed, built, and operated in order to provide service to groups that are least served by broadband now? What technology should be deployed, how should access be priced, and what services should the networks prioritize to spread the benefits of broadband to all residents?
This conference will help representatives from underserved groups to articulate well-informed policy prescriptions for cities and regions like Silicon Valley that are building municipal broadband networks. The conference’s unique format will involve:
- assembling a diverse community panel of Silicon Valley residents from underserved groups;
- educating them about the issues through discussion of briefing papers;
- convening a public hearing at which policy experts and stakeholders offer a range of perspectives in response to the public panel’s questions;
- facilitating the community panel’s formation of a consensus statement of policy recommendations, which will be translated into several languages;
- disseminating these recommendations to government, industry, and advocacy groups working on broadband;
- generating further public involvement in broadband policy through follow-up forums and publicity.
An advisory panel of stakeholders from government, industry, and advocacy organizations will oversee the fairness of the process.
All are invited to the Public Hearing on Broadband and the Underserved:
October 7, 2006
Arts and Sciences Building, Santa Clara University TV Studio
For complete details, please visit:
www.broadbandforall.org
