Here are some bullet points from release by a "think tank" in DC. Some of which are positive, some are negative concerning WISPs. I included this so that everyone could see the other perspectives being lobbied to the NTIA and RUS.
1) Protect the open Internet: The NTIA and FCC should prohibit grant recipients from selling any service that violates open Internet principles and should require recipients to offer interconnection on a reasonable and nondiscriminatory basis. 2) Promote speed: The NTIA should establish speed guidelines and benchmarks and require grant applicants to detail actual -- not advertised -- network speeds, with priority given to next-generation projects. 3) Provide clarity: The NTIA and FCC should adopt definitions of unserved and underserved areas that are based on U.S. Census Bureau geographic boundaries (either census blocks, block groups or tracts), and are informed by new FCC broadband data. 4) Prevent waste: The NTIA should require grant applicants to provide extensive documentation showing how their proposed project qualifies as a new investment. 5) Gather information: The FCC should immediately initiate proceedings to gather data and ideas to inform the national broadband strategy. 6) Focus resources: The NTIA should refocus the $350 million currently allocated for state broadband mapping toward projects that work to stimulate broadband demand, because the FCC is already collecting this data. 7) Remove roadblocks: The RUS should eliminate current regulations that restrict broadband upgrades, create barriers to new entrants and undermine competition. 8) Ensure transparency: The NTIA and RUS should create a single, publicly accessible online database that hosts all the information relevant to the broadband projects funded by the Stimulus Act. Respectively, Rick -----Original Message----- From: wireless-boun...@wispa.org [mailto:wireless-boun...@wispa.org] On Behalf Of Steve Smith Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 12:10 PM To: 'WISPA General List' Subject: Re: [WISPA] Fw: Economic Stimulus Funds: Public Meeting Hosted byLead Government Agencies Since others have not responded to this yet, I will say that I know that WISPA will have at least one representative present in person at the meeting. I spoke with a RUS representative yesterday asking for more information on how they plan on dealing with the stimulus program. Their response was this: "Please follow our web site. Yes, we know it hasn't been updated in weeks. We will be holding a joint meeting with NTIA on the 10th. After that we will post more information on the site. Yes, we know that the loan program information on our site doesn't work. You are still welcome to submit a request but since the forms are invalid it probably won't do any good until we issue new ones at some unknown date in the future. We are aware that that NTIA is holding meetings with groups starting March 2 but RUS is not prepared to do that. Please watch the web site for updates." NTIA gives the impression that they are far more organized than RUS however, that may just be RUS feeling that the less information they give out the more likely they are to be able to direct the money to the people they prefer. Steve Smith Chase 3000 Imperial, NE 69033 st...@chase3000.com 308 882-3000 308 883-3001 cell -----Original Message----- From: wireless-boun...@wispa.org [mailto:wireless-boun...@wispa.org] On Behalf Of St. Louis Broadband Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 8:14 AM To: WISPA General List Subject: Re: [WISPA] Fw: Economic Stimulus Funds: Public Meeting Hosted byLead Government Agencies Is WISPA planning on being at this meeting? On Thu, Feb 26, 2009 at 2:08 PM, Steve Barnes <st...@pcswin.com> wrote: > Is there any chance we can get this meeting streamed Live? > > Steve Barnes > RCWiFi Wireless Internet Service > > > -----Original Message----- > From: wireless-boun...@wispa.org [mailto:wireless-boun...@wispa.org] On > Behalf Of Joe Miller > Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 3:02 PM > To: wireless@wispa.org > Subject: [WISPA] Fw: Economic Stimulus Funds: Public Meeting Hosted by Lead > Government Agencies > > To everyone keeping an eye on this: > > > --- On Thu, 2/26/09, Lipman, Andrew D. <andrew.lip...@bingham.com> wrote: > > > From: Lipman, Andrew D. <andrew.lip...@bingham.com> > > Subject: Economic Stimulus Funds: Public Meeting Hosted by Lead > > Government Agencies > > To: > > Date: Thursday, February 26, 2009, 12:17 PM The three principle > > agencies responsible for awarding billions of dollars to the telecom > > industry -- NTIA, USDA, and the FCC -- will host a public meeting in > > D.C. to discuss the broadband initiatives funded by the economic > > stimulus legislation, including the new Broadband Technology > > Opportunities Program, the new Rural Development Broadband Program, > > and the development of a National Broadband Plan. > > > > The meeting will take place on March 10 at the U.S. > > Department of Commerce. As seating will be limited, the meeting will > > also be broadcast over the web. The attached announcement will appear > > in the tomorrow's Federal Register. > > > > We will be attending the presentation to monitor issues that could > > impact the application process for those funds. > > > > Please contact either myself or Frank Lamancusa (202-373-6812), if you > > would like to discuss the opportunities that the legislation can bring > > to your company. > > > > Andy > > > > Andrew D. Lipman > > Partner, Practice Group Leader > > T 202.373.6033 > > F 202.373.6001 > > andrew.lip...@bingham.com > > > > B I N G H A M > > Bingham McCutchen LLP > > 2020 K Street NW > > Washington, DC 20006-1806 > > > > > > > > > ============================================================================ == > > Bingham McCutchen LLP Circular 230 Notice: To ensure > > compliance with IRS requirements, we inform you that any U.S. federal > > tax advice contained in this communication is not intended or written > > to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of > > avoiding any federal tax penalties. Any legal advice expressed in > > this message is being delivered to you solely for your use in > > connection with the matters addressed herein and may not be relied > > upon by any other person or entity or used for any other purpose > > without our prior written consent. > > ====================================================================== > > ======== > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > -- Victoria Missouri Rural Wireless ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- WISPA Wants You! 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