WASHINGTON, Monday, July 18th, 2011 – The internet and intellectual property policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its July 2011 Broadband Breakfast Club event, “Making The Universal Service Fund into a Universal Broadband Fund” on Tuesday, July 19th, 2011 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 from 8 am – 10 am.

Tickets to the event are $45.00 plus a small online fee. Registration is available at http://broadbandbreakfast.eventbrite.com

The Universal Service Fund played an integral part in deploying and maintaining phone service to all Americans during the 20th century. As “plain old” telephone service moves from copper to fiber, however, the USF subsidizes increasingly anachronistic technologies. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has praised the USF for what it has accomplished but through the National Broadband Plan has called for the creation of a “Connect America Fund” which would support broadband and eventually displace the subsidies provided by the USF.

The question is: can we do for broadband this century what we did for telephone service in the last one? And does the political will exist to get rid of entrenched subsidies for old technology in favor of new subsidies for current technology?

Telecommunications advocates, policy-makers, journalists, top officials and the general public, all seeking to trade insights on these important issues, are invited to attend this event of the Broadband Breakfast Club, which includes full American and Continental breakfasts, for as little as $45.00, plus a modest registration fee. This event is on the record and open to the public.

Panelists:

Russell P. Hanser, Partner, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP

Russell P. Hanser has more than 14 years of experience – in both government and private practice — working in communications law and commercial litigation. His practice focuses on the regulation of next-generation broadband services and IP-enabled applications, information privacy, Universal Service, intercarrier compensation, and a range of other issues faced by the information and communications technology industry. Mr. Hanser’s clients include wireline carriers, mobile wireless providers, cable operators, Internet service providers, equipment manufacturers, and investment advisors. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hanser worked at the FCC, where he held senior positions in the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Office of General Counsel, and served as wireline Legal Advisor in the Office of Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Franklin Pierce Law Center, where he teaches courses on telecommunications and high-technology law. He has previously been an Adjunct Professor of Law at the George Washington University Law School. Following law school, Mr. Hanser clerked for Judge Norman H. Stahl on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Mr. Hanser’s work was recently cited by the Legal 500, in its discussion of leading telecommunications regulatory practices.

Hank Hultquist, Vice President, Federal Regulatory, AT&T

Hank joined AT&T in 2004. He represents AT&T at the Federal Communications Commission on a number of issues including broadband and Internet policy, video and media policy, intercarrier compensation, and universal service. He is a member of the Board of Directors and of the Wireless Communications Association International and serves on the North American Numbering Council. Prior to joining AT&T, he was with MCI for eight years. Hank is a graduate of the George Mason University School of Law and the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He resides in Arlington, Virginia with his wife and two children.

Joshua Seidemann, Director of Policy, the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA)

Joshua is the Director of Policy for the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA). He focuses on advocacy pertaining to FCC issues, with an emphasis on economic and technical elements of policy proposals. Prior to joining NTCA, Joshua represented small and mid-sized telecommunications serving rural areas, and worked with a state consumer advocate office focusing on telecom and energy issues.

Michael Spead, Senior Technical Specialist, Broadband, ICF International

Michael Spead, Senior Technical Specialist in ICF International’s Broadband Group, helps State and commercial clients assess the impact of technology and policy changes on areas such as economic growth, healthcare, education, and quality of life. Mr. Spead has coauthored two papers and numerous articles on the recent proposed USF reform’s potential impacts on States and rural carriers. Mr. Spead is currently working with clients to: assess the impact of the transition from High Cost fund to Connect America Fund (CAF); determine effects of the changes to the Low Income program; and maximize funding to schools, libraries, and rural health care providers (anchor institutions). Before joining ICF, Mr. Spead was a Senior Manager of the High Cost program at the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). He is a graduate of the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law and holds a Masters in Business Administration from George Mason University.

Darrell M. West, Vice President and Director, Governance Studies, Brookings

Darrell M. West is the Vice President of Governance Studies and Director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution. Previously, he was the John Hazen White Professor of Political Science and Public Policy and Director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University. His current research focuses on technology policy, the Internet, digital media, health care, education, and privacy and security.

The event will be moderated by Jonathan Charnitski, Managing Editor at BroadbandBreakfast.com. Jonathan began his career as a journalist before turning his focus to law and policy. He is an attorney licensed in Texas and the District of Columbia and has worked previously as a political reporter, in political campaign communications and on Capitol Hill. He holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Washington and a J.D. from Villanova Law School, where he focused his studies on internet and intellectual property law and policy.

The event will take place at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. American and Continental breakfasts are included. The program begins shortly after 8:30 a.m.

Registration is available at http://broadbandbreakfast.eventbrite.com

The Broadband Breakfast Club is sponsored by ICF International (ICFI), The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and US Telecom.

The Broadband Breakfast Club series meets on the third Tuesday of each month (except for August and December).

The Broadband Breakfast Club schedule can be viewed at http://broadbandbreakfastseries.eventbrite.com

For More Information Contact:

Sylvia Syracuse
Director of Marketing and Events
BroadbandBreakfast.com
Sylvia@broadbandcensus.com
646-262-4630