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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  News  Media  Contact: 
 April  24,  2000  Meribeth  McCarrick  at  (202)  418-  0654 
 e-  mail:  mmccarri@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC  ANNOUNCES  THE  INDIAN  TELECOM  TRAINING  INITIATIVE  TO  BE  HELD  SEPTEMBER  25    28,  2000 


 Washington,  DC  --  The  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC)  announces  the  Indian 
 Telecom  Training  Initiative  (ITTI  2000)  seminar  will  be  held  September  25-  28,  2000  at  the 
 Radisson  Hotel,  St.  Paul,  Minnesota.  The  FCC  also  announces  that  the  National  Exchange  Carrier 
 Association,  Inc.  (NECA)  will  be  a  co-  sponsor  of  the  event.  NECA  will  provide  administrative 
 support. 


 Im  extremely  pleased  that  NECA  has  become  the  first  organization  to  join  us  in 
 developing  this  important  training  event,  said  Chairman  William  E.  Kennard.  Its  disgraceful  that 
 in  the  21  st  Century  basic  telecommunications  services  are  not  enjoyed  by  our  lands  oldest  people. 
 We  must  do  all  we  can  to  end  the  telecommunications  divide  that  exists  between  Indian  Country 
 and  the  rest  of  the  United  States  and  this  training  event  aims  to  offer  solutions. 


 The  goal  of  ITTI  2000  is  to  provide  information  to  American  Indian  Tribal  Leaders  and 
 other  interested  parties  to  help  increase  telecommunication  services  to  tribal  residents.  The  co-sponsors 
 will  bring  together  their  own  experts,  along  with  representatives  from  other  federal 
 government  agencies,  telecommunication  companies  and  emerging  technology  firms,  to  inform 
 tribal  governments  about  various  facets  of  telecommunications  services  and  how  different 
 technologies,  regulatory  rules,  and  government  programs  can  be  used  to  benefit  tribal  communities. 
 The  seminar  will  also  identify  programs  and  resources  available  to  tribal  residents  and  governments 
 to  assist  their  efforts  and  to  secure  access  to  and  improve  the  affordability  of  telecommunications 
 services  on  tribal  reservations. 


 NECA  is  pleased  to  be  able  to  work  with  the  FCC  and  other  key  telecom  groups  in  an 
 effort  to  find  ways  to  address  telecommunications  issues  affecting  Native  Americans,    said  Robert 
 T.  Anderson,  President  of  the  National  Exchange  Carrier  Association,  Inc.  This  event  provides  a 
 great  opportunity  to  discuss  these  issues  and  to  reach  a  better  understanding  of  how  to  provide  high 
 quality  telecom  services  to  all  of  the  nation.  NECA  administers  the  FCCs  access  charge  plan,  as 
 well  as  other  government-  mandated  and  private  programs  for  the  telecommunications  industry. 


 For  more  information  on  the  seminar  please  call  (888)  CALL  FCC  (888)  225-  5322;  (717) 
 338-  2888;  or,  email  the  FCC  at  ITTI2000@  fcc.  gov.  Or  visit  the  FCC  Indian  Initiatives  website 
 at:  www.  fcc.  gov/  indians 


 FCC  ITTI  2000  Contact:  Nancy  Plon  at  (202)  418-  2899;  TTY  at  (202)  418-  8233 
 NECA  ITTI  2000  Contact:  David  P.  Lauerman  at  (973)  884-  8207  or  e-  mail: 
 dlauerm@  neca.  org 
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