US BROADBAND COALITION RELEASES
ADOPTION AND USE REPORT

On November 13, 2009, the US Broadband Coalition released its report "Expanding and Accelerating the Adoption & Use of Broadband Throughout the Economy" in the Federal Communications Commission's main hearing room.

The US Broadband Coalition is a diverse array of more than 160 organizations working toward a comprehensive national broadband strategy to ensure America's success in the emerging knowledge-based global economy. The Coalition includes communications providers of all kinds, high-technology companies, manufacturers, labor unions, educational institutions, utilities, consumer groups, public interest organizations, units of state and local government, and many other stakeholders in America's broadband future.

AGENDA

Welcome

  • Blair Levin - Head of the Federal Communications Commission National Broadband Plan Task Force
  • Jim Baller - Baller Herbst Law Group/US Broadband Coalition

Featured Speaker - Why Adoption and Usage is Critical to National Policy

Brian David - Director, Adoption and Use, FCC National Broadband Plan Task Force

Leadership Panel - Creating the Framework for Broadband Adoption and Use

  • Charles Benton - Benton Foundation
  • Kenneth Peres - Communications Workers of America / Alliance for Public Technology
  • Karen Archer Perry - Knight Center of Digital Excellence

Adoption and Use Panel - Sector by Sector Review of Policy Options

  • Digital Inclusion - Greg Goldman, Digital Impact Group
  • Universal Access - Karen Peltz Strauss, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Telecommunications Access
  • Economic Development - Jim Baller, Baller Herbst Law Group
  • Education - Steve Gorski, National EBS Association
  • Energy and Sustainability - Jayant Deshpande, Bell Labs, Alcatel-Lucent
  • Healthcare - Dave Aylward, Comcare Systems
  • Public Safety - Patrick Halley, National Emergency Number Association
  • Democracy and Civic Engagement - Karen Archer Perry, Knight Center of Digital Excellence
  • Advocacy and Grassroots - Harry Roesch, Rural Telecommunications Congress

Wrap up and Q and A

  • Kenneth Peres

The report was authored by a working group co-chaired by Karen Archer Perry from the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Charles Benton from the Benton Foundation, Link Hoewing from Verizon, and Kenneth Peres Ph.D. from the Communications Workers of America and the Alliance for Public Technology.

"While disagreeing on many issues, the Coalition reached consensus on the need to accelerate and expand adoption and use of broadband throughout the economy. This report contains a sector-by-sector analysis of barriers to more extensive adoption and use of broadband, and it presents dozens of creative policy options to overcome these barriers," said Jim Baller, an attorney with the Baller Herbst Law Group and the founder and president of the US Broadband Coalition.

"The report reflects 10 months of intensive work by more than 30 people representing over 25 organizations," Perry said. "We did not merely focus on increasing adoption and use of email, web browsing, and other traditional forms of Internet access service, but we also drilled into ways to accelerate the adoption and use of broadband in economic development, health care, education, public safety, energy and the environment, and in strengthening democracy and civic engagement."

For Further Information Contact:
Jim Baller (202-833-1144)
or Kenneth Peres (202-434-1185)