Working Group on Implementation

CHALLENGE A nation as complex as the United States will necessarily require a multi-faceted National Broadband Strategy. Such a strategy, in turn, will pose significant implementation issues at all levels of government. The mission of the Working Group on Implementation will be to identify the implementation issues associated with the strategy that the US Broadband Coalition recommends and to develop as much agreement as possible on how these issues should be resolved.

KEY OBJECTIVES

·         Analyze the Obama Administration’s new broadband initiatives. Study carefully the Obama Administration’s new broadband initiatives, the responsibilities that it assigns to the new Chief Technology Officer, and any other steps that the new Administration may take to implement its broadband initiatives.
·         Analyze existing approaches to implementing broadband policy. Examine how responsibilities for developing and implementing broadband policy are currently allocated among the Federal Communications Commission, the National Technology and Information Administration, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and other federal agencies. Also, analyze what state and local governments are doing to promote broadband availability, adoption, and use. Much of this information is already available.
·         Identify the best agency (if not the new CTO) to oversee the implementation of the national broadband strategy to ensure that existing and new federal programs are coordinated and reinforce the goals and policies of the national broadband strategy.
·         Recommend a reporting process for the periodic review and assessment of new and existing programs in relation to the national broadband strategy’s goals as well as the formulation of recommendations for improvement.
·         Identify successful implementation approaches that other nations are using and discuss their potential utility in the United States.
·         Identify and recommend approaches to implementing the strategies that the Coalition will propose.
·         Prepare for and participate in the Coalition’s event to be held in the Spring or early Summer of 2009, including designating speakers to present the report of the Working Group on Implementation.   The Working Group on Implementation should strive to achieve as much agreement as possible on the matters discussed above. If the Group cannot reach consensus on any issue, it should describe the positions of the disagreeing parties, explain why consensus was not possible, identify any significant data gaps, indicate whether further steps or more time that might have resulted in further consensus, and provide a framework or guiding principles that decision makers should address in resolving these issues.
·         Serve as a resource for other working groups.
·         Assist the Coordinating Committee and Conference Committees in planning the Spring Event.

MEMBERSHIP Co-Chairs: Diane Duffy (Telcordia Technologies) and Geoff Daily (App-Rising)

Coordiinating Committee Liaison: Jim Baller (Baller Herbst Law Group)

Members:

Mark Ansboury (OneCommunity)

Pete Ashdown (XMission Internet)

David Bartlett (Embarq)

Jerry Baxley (Optical Networks, Inc.)

Carolyn Brandon (CTIA)

David Chaffee (Chaffee Fiber Optics)

Ed DaVersa (NetLogix)
Natalie Fonesca (Tech Policy Central)

Anthony Hansel (Covad Communications)

Walt Henley (AirWire, Inc.)

Alan Hill (XO Communications)

Michael Johnston (Jackson Energy Authority)

Roy Lathrop (Nat'l Cable and Telecom. Association)

Richard Lowenberg (1st-Mile Institute)

Sheldon Moss (Crown Castle)

Tim Nulty (East Central VT Community Fiber Network)

Daniel O'Connor (Computer & Communications Industry Ass'n)

Jane Patterson (e-NC Authority of North Carolina)

Tony Perez (NATOA)

John Reynolds (Stratum Broadband)

Greg Richardson (Civitium)

Al Schneider (Charles Street Partners)

Julie West (CBN Connect)

Christopher White (NJ Division Ratepayer Counsel)

MILESTONES The following activities should occur on or before the dates set forth below. Given the complexity of the Coalition’s undertaking, it is critical to meet these deadlines.

January
·         Coordinating Committee announces chairs of the working groups and holds conference call to review and fine-tune mission statements
·         Coordinating Committee posts mission statement to the US Broadband Coalition website and invites volunteers to join the working group
·         Chairs hold first meeting of their working groups to discuss deliverables, approaches, timetables, assignments, etc.
·         Working groups prepare detailed outlines of a report for their group and begin to perform research, gather information, etc.

February
·         Working groups continue to perform tasks laid out in January
·         Chairs stay in communication with their groups and hold one and, if necessary, more meetings of their group to ensure timely progress and address any new developments or problems
·         Coordinating Committee stays in communication with chairs of working groups and holds at least one conference call among chairs

March
·         By end of first week, working groups complete preliminary draft reports
·         Chairs provide copies of preliminary drafts to other chairs and members of Coordinating Committee
·         By mid-month, Coordinating Committee and chairs participate in conference call to exchange feedback on preliminary drafts
·         Chairs report feedback to working groups, and working groups complete drafts

April
·         Coordinating Committee and chairs review final drafts and meet to discuss areas of consensus, potential consensus, disagreement and to plan next steps, how to present points of consensus, potential consensus, disagreement
·         Working groups develop next drafts of reports, incorporating agreements among members of coordinating committee and chairs of working groups
·         Coordinating Committee, Conference Committee and chairs begin to plan Spring Event

May
·         Draft reports circulated among whole Coalition for comment
·         Working groups incorporate comments
·         Coordinating Committee, Conference Committee, group chairs continue to plan Spring Event

June
·         Coordinating Committee and chairs finalize report of Coalition as a whole
·         Spring/Summer Event

RELEVANT PORTIONS OF THE US BROADBAND COALITION’S CALL TO ACTION FOR A NATIONAL BROADBAND STRATEGY

The United States Urgently Needs a Comprehensive National Broadband Strategy The United States is at a critical juncture. Too many Americans still do not have access to affordable broadband or lack the equipment or knowledge to use it effectively. If the United States is to remain a leader in the global economy, our broadband networks must also be robust enough to enable our people, businesses, and public and private institutions to take full advantage of emerging and future bandwidth-intensive and quality-sensitive applications.

·        Policies to Stimulate High-Speed Broadband Investment. The federal government, in collaboration with state and local governments and the private sector, should play an active role in stimulating broadband deployment, particularly in unserved areas. Such support might include tax incentives, grants, low cost loans, loan guarantees, universal service subsidies, efficient use of spectrum, and other approaches.

·        Policies to Stimulate High-Speed Broadband Adoption and Use. The federal government, in collaboration with state and local governments and the private sector, must play an active role in stimulating adoption and use of advanced broadband connections. All Americans must have access to computers and the knowledge to use broadband technology effectively. Federal support might include programs, grants, subsidies, and other measures that foster broadband connectivity, computer access, education, and training.