Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Rural Satellite Outreach Forum

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 13:34:58 -0500

Access to communications services should not end at the city limits.  That was
the overriding theme of a public forum sponsored by the FCC on January 27, 2004,
entitled “Making the Rural Connection.”  This forum, which showcased the use of
satellite-based communications systems, was a part of the FCC’s ongoing efforts
to explore innovative applications of technologies being used to serve the
communications needs of rural America.

               o       The archived web cast of the forum can be viewed at
               http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/mt012704.ram .

               o       The forum agenda, the list of presenters -- and their
               presentations, as well as a list of satellite service vendors who
               organized exhibits at the forum -- are available at
               http://ftp.fcc.gov/cgb/rural/ruralforum.html.

               o       A videotape of the forum will be broadcast on RFD-TV
               later in February.  The exact dates and times of these broadcasts
               will be posted shortly on the RFD-TV Web site at www.rfd-tv.com

               o       General information about rural communications services
               can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/rural/

The forum was attended by more than 80 people, including Congressional staffers
and representatives from Federal, state, and Native American tribal governments,
and industry.  Approximately 280 others viewed all or part the forum live by web
cast in the U.S. and from as far away as Belgium.

Private sector and government presenters highlighted the use of satellite
technology in addressing four key rural communications needs that might
otherwise go unmet:

                                   o        Education and Telemedicine
                                   o        Public Safety
                                   o        Farming and USDA Funding
                                   o        Internet and Mass Media
                                   Entertainment