FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:

September 12, 2003 Meribeth McCarrick at (202) 418-0654

<Meribeth.Mccarrick@fcc.gov>

**FCC ANNOUNCES AGENDA AND SPEAKERS FOR RURAL WIRELESS ISP SHOWCASE AND
WORKSHOP TO BE HELD SEPTEMBER 18, 2003**

Washington D.C. -- The Federal Communications Commission has released
the agenda and further details for Rural Wireless Internet Service
Provider (ISP) Showcase and Workshop to be held at the Commission on
September 18, 2003, beginning at 9:30 a.m. This event is part of ongoing
Commission efforts intended to facilitate the deployment of broadband
services to rural America.

The agenda and list of participants is attached.

[Background on Wireless ISPs]{.underline}

Wireless ISPs have been sprouting up across rural America providing
high-speed Internet access using both licensed and unlicensed spectrum.
Deploying networks which use grain silos, water towers, and pumping
stations as antenna sites, rural WISPs are beginning to bring broadband
service to previously unserved areas and to provide new competition in
areas that already have broadband access.

The Rural WISP Showcase will feature "virtual tours" of several WISPs,
discussions of technology, implementation issues, best practices, and
lessons learned. In addition, it will provide an opportunity for the
Commission to learn what, if any, regulatory barriers stand in the way
of rural WISP deployment. Presenters will be service providers who are
offering high-speed Internet service to their rural customers. The
Showcase will emphasize real world questions and practical solutions
with the goal of encouraging and enabling new, innovative, and economic
approaches to providing rural broadband.

Information concerning the Showcase, the including agenda, copies of
presentations, and bios of the speakers, will be available at the
Showcase webpage <http://www.fcc.gov/osp/rural-wisp.html>.

For further information please contact Robert Pepper, Chief, Policy
Development; email: WISPShowcase@fcc.gov; voice: 202-418-2030.

\-- FCC \--

***Rural Wireless ISP\
Showcase and Workshop***

***Agenda***

*(subject to revision)*

Thursday, September 18, 2003

Federal Communications Commission

445 12^th^ Street SW, Washington, DC

This full-day event is designed to facilitate information dissemination
about Rural WISPs as a compelling solution for rural broadband service.
It will also provide an opportunity for the Commission to learn what, if
any, regulatory barriers stand in the way of rural WISP deployment.

+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **9:30 AM** | **Welcome and Introduction**                           |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **9:40 AM** | **Welcoming Remarks**                                  |
|             |                                                        |
|             | > **Chairman Michael K. Powell**                       |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **10:00     | **Technologies and Architectures: WISP Nuts & Bolts**  |
| AM**        |                                                        |
|             | WISP operators will describe their operations in rural |
|             | America. These practical descriptions of technologies  |
|             | and system configurations will illustrate the wide     |
|             | variety of technologies and lessons learned,           |
|             | including: arranging backbone connections; exploiting  |
|             | technological advantages; and antenna sites necessary  |
|             | to bring high-speed wireless to diverse geographic     |
|             | environments.                                          |
|             |                                                        |
|             | **Presenters**:                                        |
|             |                                                        |
|             | Marlon Schafer, *Odessa Office (Washington)*           |
|             |                                                        |
|             | > Douglas Campbell, *AMATechTel (Texas)*               |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Mark Schultz, *Monet Mobile Networks (South Dakota)* |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Jim Pace, S*trategic Information Services, LLC*      |
|             | > *(Idaho)*                                            |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Roxanne White, *Evertek Enterprises (Iowa)*          |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **11:15     | **WISP Implementation: Lessons Learned**               |
| AM**        |                                                        |
|             | > Rural WISPs will describe what it takes to start     |
|             | > their operations and lessons they have learned.      |
|             | > Subjects covered will include: network and operating |
|             | > costs; customer acquisition and care; the value of   |
|             | > partnerships; raising capital; and working with      |
|             | > local officials.                                     |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > **Remarks:** Commissioner Michael J. Copps           |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > **Presenters**:                                      |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Michael Butler, *Mitkof.Net (Alaska)*                |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Neil J. Mulholland, *Prairie iNet (Iowa)*            |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Joel Brick, *Sioux Valley Wireless (South Dakota)*   |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Jim Selby, *Aspen Wireless Technologies (Colorado)*  |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Larry Roadman, *Margaretville (New York) Telephone   |
|             | > Co.*                                                 |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **12:30     | **Lunch Break**                                        |
| PM**        |                                                        |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **1:30 PM** | Workshop Panels                                        |
|             |                                                        |
|             | +----------------+----------------+----------------+   |
|             | | **Government   | **Applications | **Technical    |   |
|             | | Funding**      | and Community  | and            |   |
|             | |                | Building**     | Interference   |   |
|             | | How can a      |                | Issues**       |   |
|             | | rural WISP     | A focus on how |                |   |
|             | | obtain loans,  | WISPs are      | What are the   |   |
|             | | grants,        | providing      | FCC's rules,   |   |
|             | | guarantees,    | services and   | procedures and |   |
|             | | and start-up   | applications   | enforcement    |   |
|             | | assistance     | that help      | mechanisms     |   |
|             | | from such      | build and      | applicable to  |   |
|             | | agencies as    | enhance rural  | WISPs? What    |   |
|             | | the Rural      | communities.   | are the        |   |
|             | | Utilities      | Examples will  | alternatives   |   |
|             | | Service of the | include how    | available,     |   |
|             | | Department of  | WISPs are      | i.e., licensed |   |
|             | | Agriculture    | providing      | versus         |   |
|             | | and the        | telemedicine,  | unlicensed     |   |
|             | | Department of  | education, and | spectrum? How  |   |
|             | | Commerce?      | other services | can one solve  |   |
|             | |                | in rural and   | interference   |   |
|             | | Roberta        | remote         | issues?        |   |
|             | | Purcell,       | communities.   |                |   |
|             | | *Assistant     |                | Julius Knapp,  |   |
|             | | Administrator, | Christina      | *FCC OET*      |   |
|             | | USDA RUS*      | McCandless,    |                |   |
|             | |                | *Cyber Mesa    | Joe Casey,     |   |
|             | | Don Druker,    | (New Mexico)*  | *FCC EB*       |   |
|             | | *NTIA TOP*     |                |                |   |
|             | |                | Mike Peralta,  | Michael        |   |
|             | |                | *Tribal        | Anderson,      |   |
|             | |                | Digital        | *PDQLink       |   |
|             | |                | Village        | (Illinois)*    |   |
|             | |                | (California)*  |                |   |
|             | +----------------+----------------+----------------+   |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **2:15 PM** | **Break**                                              |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **2:25 PM** | **FCC Town Meeting**                                   |
|             |                                                        |
|             | > An open forum opportunity for the FCC to hear how it |
|             | > can help facilitate rural WISP broadband deployment  |
|             | > and services. The format will be Q&A.                |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > **Remarks**: Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy      |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > **Panelists:**                                       |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Robert Pepper, *Chief, Policy Development*           |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Ed Thomas, *Chief, Office of Engineering &           |
|             | > Technology*                                          |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > John Muleta, *Chief, Wireless Telecommunications     |
|             | > Bureau*                                              |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Julius Knapp, *Deputy Chief, Office of Engineering & |
|             | > Technology*                                          |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Joe Casey, *Chief, Spectrum Enforcement Division,    |
|             | > Enforcement Bureau*                                  |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **3:20 PM** | **Closing Remarks**                                    |
|             |                                                        |
|             | > Commissioner Kevin J. Martin                         |
|             | >                                                      |
|             | > Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein                   |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| **3:30 PM** | **Adjourn**                                            |
+-------------+--------------------------------------------------------+

Additional Information

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Registration**                                                      |
|                                                                       |
| The Rural Wireless ISP Showcase and Workshop is open to the public    |
| and will be held in the Commission Meeting Room at the Federal        |
| Communications Commission in Washington, DC. There is no registration |
| fee and seating is made available on a first come, first serve basis. |
| Since a large attendance is expected, attendees are invited to RSVP   |
| to WISPShowcase@fcc.gov to help us ensure that we have sufficient     |
| facilities. Please indicate your name, who you represent, your email  |
| address, and which afternoon Workshop Panel you intend on attending.  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Facilities**                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| The FCC is located at 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554.       |
| Directions and a map of the streets near the FCC is available at      |
| http://www.fcc.gov/portalsmap.html.                                   |
|                                                                       |
| The Commission Meeting Room is equipped with a Wi-Fi Internet         |
| network.                                                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Security**                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| Please note that the FCC is a federal building with security. All     |
| attendees will be required to pass through security. Please allocate  |
| additional time to enter the building.                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Webcast**                                                           |
|                                                                       |
| The Rural Wireless ISP Showcase will be webcast live and archived for |
| later viewing. During the afternoon Workshop Panels, only one panel   |
| will be webcast live. The other sessions will be recorded and made    |
| available for later viewing. Access to and additional information     |
| concerning the webcast is available at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/. |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Reasonable Accommodations**                                         |
|                                                                       |
| Open captioning will be provided for this event. Other reasonable     |
| accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon        |
| request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need     |
| including as much detail as you can. Also include a way we can        |
| contact you if we need more information. Make your request as early   |
| as possible; please allow at least 5 days advance notice. Last minute |
| requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an     |
| e-mail to <fcc504@fcc.gov> or call the Consumer & Governmental        |
| Affairs Bureau: For sign language interpreters, CART, and other       |
| reasonable accommodations: 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).  |
| For accessible format materials (braille, large print, electronic     |
| files, and audio format): 202-418-0531 (voice), 202-418-7365 (tty)    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **For More Information:**                                             |
|                                                                       |
| WISPShowcase@fcc.gov                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| \(202\) 418-2030                                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+