[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 44 (Monday, March 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11778-11779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5451]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Services Field Hearing 
Schedule

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Announcement of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced 
Telecommunications Services (Joint Conference) was convened by the FCC 
on October 8, 1999 to further the vision of Section 706 of the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996. Patterned on a resolution by the 
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), the 
Joint Conference joins federal and state forces to encourage the 
deployment of advanced telecommunications services to all Americans. 
Part of the Joint Conference's mission is to gather information on the 
deployment of advanced services. To this end, the Joint Conference will 
hold six field hearings in coming months to gather information on the 
status of deployment of advanced telecommunications capability to all 
Americans.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for hearing dates.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for hearing addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Hoffnar (202) 418-0940 TTY: 
(202) 418-0484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These field hearings will focus on two goals 
in particular. First, the Joint Conference will seek information on 
what extent data is available at the state level on the status of 
deployment of advanced services. Second, the Joint Conference will seek 
examples of ``best practices'' of successful deployment in communities. 
Some communities have found creative ways to bring high speed Internet 
access to areas that were previously underserved. For example, a 
community may speed deployment by bringing many potential users of 
advanced services together, thereby aggregating demand to increase 
their buying power. A compilation of creative efforts, or best 
practices, will provide guidance to communities in other states to 
speed deployment of advanced services.
    Transcripts of each field hearing will be made available to the 
public as soon as possible after each field hearing.

Meeting of Joint Conference and Initial Hearing

     Washington, DC, March 8, 2000, time to be determined.
     Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Chairman William Kennard and 
Chair of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, Nanette Thompson.
     All FCC and State Commissioners will attend the first 
field hearing in Washington, DC, as their schedules permit.
     Special focus on broadband deployment in inner cities.

Western Regional Field Hearing

     Anchorage, Alaska, April 17, 2000, time to be determined.
     Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Commissioner Susan Ness and 
Chair of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, Nanette Thompson.

[[Page 11779]]

     Special focus on the relationship between advanced 
services deployment and economic development, satellite deployment.

Midwestern Regional Field Hearing

     South Sioux City, Nebraska, April 19, 2000, time to be 
determined.
     Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Chairman William Kennard and 
Chair of the North Carolina Utilities Commission, Jo Anne Sanford.
     Special focus on cable and fixed wireless deployment and 
deployment in rural areas.

Northeastern Regional Field Hearing

     Lowell, Massachusetts, May 22, 2000, time to be 
determined.
     Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Commissioner Michael Powell 
and Public Utility Commission of Texas Commissioner Brett Perlman.
     Special focus on public/private partnerships, deployment 
in remote areas, and data gathering initiatives.

Gulf States and Southeast Regional Field Hearing

     Miami, Florida, June 9, 2000, time to be determined.
     Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani, 
Louisiana Public Service Commission, Chair Irma Muse Dixon, North 
Carolina Utilities Commission Chair, Jo Anne Sanford, and Public 
Utility Commission of Texas Commissioner, Brett Perlman.
     Special focus on deployment to rural and urban 
multicultural communities, fixed wireless deployment, and public/
private partnerships.

Mountain West Regional Field Hearing

     Cheyenne, Wyoming, June 23, 2000, time to be determined.
     Joint Conference Hosts: FCC Commissioner Harold 
Furchtgott-Roth and Wyoming Public Service Commission Deputy Chair 
Steven Furtney.
     Special focus on speeding deployment via community demand 
aggregation, deployment in rural areas and Indian Territory, data 
gathering initiatives.
    Further information about the Joint Conference can be found on its 
web site: www.fcc.gov/jointconference.

    Dated: March 2, 2000.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-5451 Filed 3-3-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P