9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Closed Session

New Members Introduction

FCC Update

Legislative Update

NRRI Update

State Issues Roundtable

USAC Update

Planning for February

Panel I:  Mapping

The FCC recently issued a Notice on the issue of mapping.  Some parties have provided suggestions for what they think can work and be accomplished in a short time period, hopefully to be used with the upcoming RuDOF proposal.  Panelists will address the mapping issues and solutions. 

Moderator:  

Joe Tiernan, Massachusetts DTE

Panelists:

NASUCA, Invited

Cost-Quest, Invited

Ross Lieberman, Brian Hurley, Esq., American Cable Association,

Brent Legg, Connected Nation

Louis Peraertz, Vice President of Policy, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association

Panel II:  Federal USF:  Contribution Reform 

The FCC has been urged for some time now to address the issue of supporting the federal USF.  Those calls have increased as the assessment on interstate telecommunications revenues has increased, now upwards of 20%.  The panelists will address the issue of funding the USF.   

Moderator:

Cary Hinton, DC Public Service Commission

Panelists: 

Dr. Robert Loube, Vice President, Rolka Loube

Labros Pilalis, Pa. PUC, Joint Board Staff Member

Pamela Sherwood Hollick, Assistant General Counsel, CenturyLink

Panel III:   State USFs:  Transformation and Change

Many states have telecommunications and, increasingly, broadband universal service programs focused on availability (is it there) and affordability (are consumers able to purchase it).  The panel will discuss current state USF programs and, as appropriate, their relationship to the federal USF based on cooperative federalism. 

Moderator:  

Sherry Lichtenberg, NRRI

Panelists:

Ben Aron, CTIA

Mike Ripperger, New Mexico PRC

Tim Kunkleman, Director, Government Affairs, CenturyLink

Weldon Gray, CEO, Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

Closed 12 - 1:30