FCC announces 2 Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) working groups

Remember back in January when the FCC announced new federal advisory committees? They asked for applications.

Well, this week they announced the members of two working groups
Competitive Access to Broadband Infrastructure and
Removing State and Local Regulatory Barriers

I see one Minnesota connection – Danna MacKenzie from the Office of Broadband Development is on the Removing State and Local Regulatory Barriers committee. (There may be others that are less obvious.) I tried to do a little breakdown of what sort of organizations comprise the committees. Here’s what I found:

Competitive Access

  • 15 providers & broadband suppliers or consultants
  • 1 tech company (Microsoft)
  • 2 government
  • 6 nonprofits/university/research

Removing Barriers

  • 15 providers & broadband suppliers or consultants
  • 4 government
  • 6 nonprofits/university/research

The Document also indicated members of the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee

  • 13 providers (or provider reps and I included the power company here) & broadband suppliers or consultants
  • 3 government
  • 5 nonprofits/university/research

I didn’t spend a ton of time determining whether something called The Quilt was provider, government or nonprofit (I went with provider since they are a coalition of regional networks) but that’s the rough breakout.

Here’s the official word from the FCC

This Public Notice serves as notice that Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) Chairman Ajit Pai has appointed members to serve on two Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) working groups, Competitive Access to Broadband Infrastructure and Removing State and Local Regulatory Barriers.

The members of these working groups are listed in Appendix A. The selection of members for the Streamlining Federal Siting working group is in progress, and final selections for this group will be announced at a later date. The BDAC is organized under, and operates in accordance with, the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

The BDAC’s mission is to provide advice and recommendations to the Commission on how to accelerate the deployment of high-speed Internet access.

The BDAC held its first meeting on Friday, April 21, 2017. More information about the BDAC is available at https://www.fcc.gov/broadband-deploymentadvisory-committee. You may also contact Brian Hurley, Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of the BDAC, at brian.hurley@fcc.govor 202-418-2220; or Paul D’Ari, Deputy DFO, at paul.dari@fcc.govor 202-418-1550.

Get list of members.

This entry was posted in FCC, MN, Policy by Ann Treacy. Bookmark the permalink.

About Ann Treacy

Librarian who follows rural broadband in MN and good uses of new technology (blandinonbroadband.org), hosts a radio show on MN music (mostlyminnesota.com), supports people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota (elimstrongtowershelters.org) and helps with social justice issues through Women’s March MN.

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