> **DA 06-1445**

**Released: July 13, 2006**

**FCC ANNOUNCES AGENDA FOR THE**

**INDIAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVES REGIONAL**

**WORKSHOP AND ROUNDTABLE**

**IN SAN DIEGO, CA ON JULY 27-28, 2006**

**Tribal Representatives, FCC Officials and Telecommunications Industry
Representatives**

**to Participate in an Interactive Educational Workshop and Roundtable
Sessions**

By this Public Notice, the FCC announces the agenda for its Indian
Telecommunications Initiatives ("ITI") Regional Workshop and Roundtable
that will take place in San Diego, California on July 27 and 28, 2006
("ITI San Diego"). This event is being sponsored in cooperation with the
Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association ("SCTCA") Tribal
Digital Village, the National Congress of American Indians ("NCAI"), and
the Center for Native American Public Radio ("CNAPR"). The current
agenda is attached to this Public Notice.

ITI San Diego will focus on broadband deployment, a key component of the
Commission's Strategic Plan and current telecommunications issues,
regulations and policies. Various panels will cover different components
of broadband deployment, with a particular focus on wireless broadband,
including the acquisition of spectrum, infrastructure development and
business planning. There will also be panels on radio and television
station development in Indian Country. A final agenda will be released
prior to the event.

The agenda for this ITI event will also build upon the experiences of
the SCTCA Tribal Digital Village. The Tribal Digital Village is an
outgrowth of the collaborative effort of the SCTCA and the University of
California at San Diego, known as the High Performance Wireless Research
and Education Network. In early 2001, the SCTCA received a \$5 million
Hewlett-Packard Philanthropy Digital Village grant to design and
implement a project to help their underserved tribal communities
establish high-speed Internet connectivity and to develop a variety of
creative network solutions to address the cultural and educational goals
of each community. The Hewlett-Packard grant provided for a three-year
Community Technology Partnership Plan, and included products, services,
and capital.

**The FCC's Indian Telecommunications Initiatives**

The FCC's ITI is a comprehensive program that seeks to promote
understanding, cooperation and trust among Tribes and Tribal
organizations, the FCC, other governmental agencies, and the
telecommunications industry. The ITI program seeks to build
partnerships, identify potential solutions, and bring affordable,
quality telecommunications services to Indian Country. The ITI program's
goals \-- to increase the telephone penetration rate; facilitate the
deployment of telecommunications infrastructure on tribal lands; and
inform Tribes about federal government programs, including Universal
Service Fund programs \-- are undertaken in Indian Country by the FCC
through targeted and effective Tribal outreach, coordination and
consultation. The Commission's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
("IGA"), located within the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, is
responsible for coordinating the FCC's Tribal outreach and consultation.

**Registration for "ITI San Diego" and More Information**

This ITI event is free of charge to registrants. Tribal leaders and
representatives, those working on telecommunications, planning, and
economic development are encouraged to attend. Telecommunications
industry representatives are also welcome to attend these
intergovernmental meetings. To register for the ITI San Diego Regional
Workshop and Roundtable, or to obtain additional information, please
call 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) press number 6 and follow the
prompts to leave your full contact information, call 202-418-2510, fax
202-418-2839, or e-mail your full contact information to
<iti-info@fcc.gov>.

The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn Sea World, 3737 Sports
Arena Blvd., San Diego, CA 92110. For reservations, call the hotel
directly (619)881-6100 and mention the "FCC Tribal Communications
Training."

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]{.underline}](mailto: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 on the Commission's ITI program, ITI San Diego
Regional Workshop and Roundtable, or Office of Intergovernmental
Affairs, please contact Alice Elder, Chief, Office of Intergovernmental
Affairs at 202-418-2168, <alice.elder@fcc.gov> or Shana Barehand, Senior
Attorney and Tribal Liaison, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at
202-418-0385, <shana.barehand@fcc.gov>. Updates and further information
will also be made available on the FCC's Tribal Initiatives website at:
<http://www.fcc.gov/indians>.

**\*FCC\***