The National Broadband Plan: A One-Year Update

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The National Broadband Plan: A One-Year Update

The National Broadband Plan, released March 16, 2010, provided a comprehensive inventory of broadband resources, collected the most current broadband data, and offered ambitious -- yet reachable -- goals. And the plan did this without being fiscally imprudent..

This special Broadband Breakfast Club event will focus on the plan's three parts: (1) promoting investment and innovation, (2) including all Americans in the digital economy through availability and adoption, and (3) promoting "national purposes."

Drew Clark will guest-moderate this event, reflecting on his efforts to implement the National Broadband Plan -- on the state level in Illinois -- as the Executive Director of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois.

Telecommunications advocates, policy-makers, journalists, top officials and the general public, all seeking to trade insights on these important issues, are invited to attend this event of the Broadband Breakfast Club, which includes full American and Continental breakfasts, for as little as $45.00, plus a modest registration fee.

This event is on the record and open to the public. 

For News and Events on BroadbandBreakfast.com follow us at http://www.twitter.com/broadbandcensus

Event Details

Title:  The National Broadband Plan: A One-Year Update

Date:  Tuesday, March 15, 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. 

Where:  Clyde's of Gallery Place, 707 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

The breakfast begins at 8 a.m., followed by a discussion, beginning shortly after 8:30 a.m. and ending by 10 a.m.

Panelists:

Robert D. Atkinson, President, The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF)

Dr. Robert D. Atkinson is one of the country’s foremost thinkers on innovation economics is the founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a cutting-edge technology and economic policy think tank based in Washington, DC. With has an extensive background in technology policy, he has conducted ground-breaking research projects on technology and innovation, is a valued adviser to state and national policy makers, and a popular speaker on innovation policy nationally and internationally. He is the author of the State New Economy Index series and the book, The Past and Future of America’s Economy: Long Waves of Innovation That Power Cycles of Growth (Edward Elgar, 2005). Ars Technica listed Atkinson as one of 2009’s tech policy People to Watch.

Jim Baller, President, Baller Herbst Law Group

Jim Baller, president of the Baller Herbst Law Group in Washington, DC, represents clients in a broad range of communications matters nationally and in more than 35 states.  He is also the founder of the US Broadband Coalition, a consortium of more than 160 organizations of all kinds that helped to build a national consensus on the need for a comprehensive national broadband strategy and recommended the framework reflected in the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan. The North American Fiber to the Home Council has recognized Jim as "the nation's most experienced and knowledgeable attorney on public broadband matters."  The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors designated him its Member of the Year in 2001 and its first “Community Broadband Visionary of the Year” in 2007, for "almost single-handedly putting the need for a national broadband strategy to the forefront of public consciousness."  In 2007, Washingtonian Magazine listed Jim as one of "Washington's Best Lawyers" (defined as the top one percent).  In 2009, Ars Technica included Jim on its list of the 25 “Top Names in Tech Policy” and FiberToday honored him as its “Person of the Year.” He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Cornell Law School.

Daniel Berninger, Independent Communication Architect and Analyst

Daniel Berninger is an expert in technical and regulatory aspects of Internet enabled disruptive communications and active in VoIP since 1995. Daniel’s work as a communication architect started with the original assessment of VoIP at Bell Laboratories, technical contributions to the founding of Free World Dialup, and continued with the first VoIP deployments at Verizon, HP , and NASA after joining VocalTec Communications. He won a VON Pioneer Award as co-founder of the VON Coalition. Daniel led the founding teams, created the business model, and recruited the CEO’s for ITXC (Tom Evslin) and Vonage (Jeffrey Citron).

John Erik Garr, Principal, Diamond Advisory Services (Diamond)

J. Erik Garr is a principal in the Diamond Advisory Services Group at PwC where he serves clients in the telecommunications, financial services, and government sectors. Erik’s focuses on strategic planning, broadband policy, and the management of large scale change programs. Last year, Erik was appointed the General Manager of the National Broadband Plan at the Federal Communications Commission. Erik led the development of the plan, which involved over 250 FCC employees, garnering the input of over 700 companies and organizations and the participation of over 10,000 citizens through a groundbreaking new media effort at www.broadband.gov. Erik holds a BA in political science with high honors from the University of Michigan and holds an MPP from the University of Chicago. He was named a 2004 Marshall Memorial fellow, one of 55 emerging leaders selected from around the United States to participate in a high-level exchange program with European governments.

Keith Montgomery, Senior Program Director, Broadband, ICF International

Mr. Montgomery is the Senior Program Director of the ICF Broadband Group. Prior to ICF, he was Executive Officer for iTown Communications, CLEAR Communications in New Zealand and Concert Communications, and held senior management positions for MCI’s network construction and revenue finance teams. He developed the West Virginia First Advanced Broadband program to create broadband communities. He has completed broadband fiber-to-the-home and WiMAX network studies in over 15 states and several international ventures. In support of the USDA Broadband Initiatives Program, he managed the finance and engineering application review process.  Mr. Montgomery currently leads a team that evaluates broadband networks and helps groups leverage broadband technology to deliver services.

The program will be moderated by Drew Clark. Drew is an experienced, independent telecom industry observer, and brings a unique public interest perspective to broadband data collection and research. In February 2010, he became Executive Director of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a non-profit organization which has the goal of ensuring that all Illinoisans have access to high-quality broadband – and that broadband is being well-used by the people of the state. As the state’s designated entity to perform broadband research, planning, data and outreach, the Partnership for a Connected Illinois has received funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s State Broadband Data and Development grant program, and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Previously, Drew founded the news and data company BroadbandCensus.com.

TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT PLEASE CLICK ON: http://broadbandbreakfast.eventbrite.com

Join the conversation for an engaging and in-depth examination of broadband - one of the most vital topics of our day.

The Broadband Breakfast Club is a "widely attended event" under House of Representatives Rule 25, clause 5(a)(4)(A).

PLEASE NOTE: The Broadband Breakfast Club is held at Clyde's of Gallery Place, at 707 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, conveniently located adjacent to the Gallery Place Metro Station on the Red Line.

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For individuals outside of Washington, or those whose schedule doesn’t permit attendance in person, archived webcasts of the Broadband Breakfast Club are available for free on BroadbandBreakfast.com.

The Broadband Breakfast Club seeks sponsorship of our events from interested companies and organizations. We especially encourage organizations to sponsor a package of multiple events — such as one of our upcoming topical series. For details on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sylvia Syracuse at 646-262-4630 or sylvia@broadbandcensus.com. The Broadband Breakfast Club is produced by Broadband Census News LLC. 

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