‘Broadband Census for America’ Conference to Focus on Sharing Publicly-Available Broadband Data

Save the Date Announcement

Editor’s Note: The agenda for the Broadband Census for America Conference was released on September 8, 2008, and is available at http://broadbandcensus.com/blog/?p=569. Please visit the page for fuller details about the conference program.

WASHINGTON, August 7, 2008 – BroadbandCensus.com, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Texas at Austin’s Robert S. Strauss Center, and the Virginia Tech eCorridors Program invite government officials, academic researchers and other key stakeholders to a half-day conference on collecting and sharing public data about high-speed internet access.

The conference, “Broadband Census for America,” aims to assemble state, local and federal officials engaged in gathering and mapping information about broadband availability, competition, speeds, prices and quality of service. Academic researchers will lend their perspective on the importance of universal broadband data.

Keynote speakers scheduled to address the conference include:

• Eamonn Confrey, First Secretary, Information and Communications Policy, Embassy of Ireland. Mr. Confrey has confirmed as the luncheon speaker on “Mapping out Broadband for Consumers: The Irish Experience.”

• Massachusetts Representative Ed Markey*, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. (*Invited to present opening keynote.)

The conference will also feature two panel discussions assembling key officials from academia, the states, the federal government and private-sector initiatives to publish broadband information.

The panel titles are: “Why Does America Need a Broadband Census?” and “How Should America Conduct a Broadband Census?” More details will be forthcoming.

“Broadband Census for America” is being held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science at 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC. (The building is at the corner of 12th Street and H Street, NW.)

The conference will run from 8:30 a.m. and conclude by 1 p.m., providing ample time for those seeking to make the short commute from Washington to the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference in Arlington, Virginia.

To place your reservation to attend, please e-mail: conference@broadbandcensus.com

‘Broadband Census for America’ Conference Details

Location:
American Association for the Advancement of Science
1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC
(The building is at the corner of 12th Street and H Street, NW.)

Time:
Friday, September 26, 2008
8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Program Committee:

• Drew Bennett, Special Assistant, BroadbandCensus.com
• Drew Clark, Executive Director, BroadbandCensus.com
• Professor Kenneth Flamm, Director, Techology, Innovation and Global Security Program, Robert S. Strauss Center
• Brenda van Gelder, Director, Virginia Tech eCorridors Program
• John Horrigan, Associate Director for Research, Pew Internet Project; and Chair, 2008 Telecommunications Policy Research Conference
• Sascha Meinrath, Research Director, New America Foundation; and President, Ethos Wireless
• Professor Jon Peha, Carnegie Mellon University
• Jean Plymale, Senior Systems Engineer, Virginia Tech eCorridors Program
• Scott Wallsten, Vice President for Research, Technology Policy Institute

Pricing:

• ACADEMIC (Includes faculty, staff, and students at universities and secondary institutions) – NO CHARGE
• GOVERNMENT (Includes international, federal, state and local government officials) – NO CHARGE
• INDUSTRY – $295
• NON-PROFIT^ – $195
• PRESS – NO CHARGE

^Non-profit organizations that feel they could not attend otherwise may apply for a waiver of conference fee.

Press Release Referenced:

• Agenda for Broadband Census for America Conference on September 26, 2008; Key Academics, State Officials and Broadband Data Collectors to Speak;Embassy of Ireland to Give Luncheon Keynote Address on Publicly-Available Broadband Data (BroadbandCensus.com, September 8, 2008)