[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49209-49210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17734]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Community Broadband Summit
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), through the BroadbandUSA program, will hold a regional
broadband summit, ``Big Sky Broadband Workshop,'' to share information
to help communities build their broadband capacity and utilization. The
summit will present best practices and lessons learned from broadband
network infrastructure build-outs and digital inclusion programs from
Montana and surrounding states, including projects that NTIA awarded
through its Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and State
Broadband Initiative (SBI) grant programs and funded by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.\1\ The summit will also explore
effective business and partnership models and will include access to
regional policymakers, federal funders, and industry providers.
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\1\ American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law
11-5, 123 Stat. 115 (2009).
DATES: The Big Sky Broadband Workshop will be held on August 31, 2016,
from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and September 1, 2016, from 9:00 a.m. to
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5:00 p.m., Mountain Daylight Time.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in Montana at the Hilton Garden
Inn, 3720 N. Reserve St., Missoula, MT 59808.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Brown, National
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Room 4628, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC
20230; telephone: (202) 280-8260; email: [email protected]. Please
direct media inquiries to NTIA's Office of Public Affairs, (202) 482-
7002; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NTIA's BroadbandUSA program provides expert
advice and field-proven tools for assessing broadband adoption,
planning new infrastructure, and engaging a wide range of partners in
broadband projects. BroadbandUSA convenes workshops on a regular basis
to bring stakeholders together to discuss ways to improve broadband
policies, share best practices, and connect communities to other
[[Page 49210]]
federal agencies and funding sources for the purpose of expanding
broadband infrastructure and adoption throughout America's communities.
The Big Sky Broadband Workshop features subject matter experts from
NTIA's BroadbandUSA initiative and will include NTIA presentations that
discuss lessons learned through the implementation of the BTOP and SBI
grants. A panel will explore key elements required for successful
broadband projects using a mix of regional examples. Topics will
include marketing and demand aggregation, outreach, coordinating with
government agencies, partnership strategies, construction, and
oversight. A second panel will explore why broadband matters in
comprehensive community planning and will provide real-world examples
about how broadband applications help communities improve economic
development, workforce development and education opportunities. A third
panel will examine business model options, including private networks,
public/private partnerships, co-ops, and municipal systems. Panelists
will provide tips to communities on how to research funding options,
make a compelling case to funders, and leverage multiple federal and
state and non-profit funding streams.
The summit will be open to the public and press. Pre-registration
is requested, and space is limited. Portions of the meeting will be
webcast. Information on how to pre-register for the meeting and how to
access the free, live webcast will be available on NTIA's Web site:
https://www.ntia.doc.gov/other-publication/2016/bigskybroadbandworkshop. 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 summit. If capacity for the meeting
is reached, NTIA will maintain a waiting list and will inform those on
the waiting list if space becomes available. Meeting updates, changes
in the agenda, if any, and relevant documents will be also available on
NTIA's Web site at https://www.ntia.doc.gov/other-publication/2016/bigskybroadbandworkshop.
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 Barbara
Brown at the contact information listed above at least five (5)
business days before the meeting.
Dated: July 22, 2016.
Kathy D. Smith,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-17734 Filed 7-26-16; 8:45 am]
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