The FCC is reaching out to the general public as part of its aim to develop a National Broadband Plan, the proposal of a national strategic plan that the agency is due to present to Congress by February 16, 2010.
A list of topics for upcoming Commission staff workshops– to be held from August 6 through Sept. 3 and open to the public online or at FCC headquarters in D.C.– has been posted at www.broadband.gov. The FCC is inviting public comment via the website to suggest additional topics, revisions to those slated for discussion, or to pose questions for consideration.
Formulation of a National Broadband Plan was called for as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was passed into law this past February. The aim of the legislation is to “seek to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal.”
“Broadband is our generation’s major infrastructure challenge. It’s critical that all stakeholders provide the Commission with the information it needs to develop a National Broadband Plan that will spur innovation, promote competition, create jobs, and bring the powerful benefits of broadband to all Americans,” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski stated in a news release.
“The effort to focus dialogue on specific topics in an open, participatory format is one of the many ways the Commission is trying to develop a comprehensive and meaningful record for the development of the Plan.”
