VIRTUAL WORKSHOP ON EXPANDING BROADBAND ACCESS

SAN FRANCISCO, April 11, 2022 – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a remote access (virtual) workshop to consult with regional consortia, local governments, broadband providers, consumers, and other stakeholders on cost-effective strategies for expanding broadband access in unserved areas of the state.
WHAT: CPUC California Advanced Services Fund Public Workshop
WHEN: April 19, 2022, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Members of the public can make their voice heard in this proceeding, and read the comments of others, on our online Docket Card comment section athttp://apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/R2008021. In addition to the opportunity to comment at the workshop, party comments will be posted to the Docket Card.
While a quorum of Commissioners and/or their staff may attend, no official action will be taken on this matter.
WHERE: Remote access via webcast or phone, as follows:
·Live video broadcast with English or Spanish captions via webcast: https://adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc/workshop/202204192/
Participants who choose to participate via webcast only will have audio and video but will not be able to make verbal comment. If you would like to make comments during the meeting, refer to the phone-in information below.
For captions, after clicking on the name of the workshop, click the green button below the video for captions. Then select captions by clicking on the white icon next to the word “live” at the bottom of the video.
The forums will also be recorded and archived for future viewing.
·Phone: 1-800-857-1917, passcode: 1673482#
Participants will have audio and will be able to make comments or ask questions.
·Remote participants may email questions before, during, or after the workshop to: CASF_Workshop@cpuc.ca.gov.
BACKGROUND
Since 2008, the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) has helped close the Digital Divide in California by providing subsidies to build and expand broadband facilities to unserved areas of the state.  The program has funded fiber-optic, fixed wireless, hybrid fiber-coaxial, and copper facility-based projects with a goal of making broadband available to 98 percent of households in each consortia region by 2032.  The CASF is funded by a surcharge on revenues collected by telecommunications carriers from end-users for intrastate telecommunications services. This workshop is a forum for the CPUC, regional consortia, stakeholders, local governments, existing facility-based broadband providers, and consumers to collaborate on strategies for expanding broadband access to unserved areas.
If special accommodations are needed to attend, such as non-English or sign language interpreters, please contact the CPUC’s Public Advisor’s Office atpublic.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov or toll free at 866-849-8390 three days in advance of the workshop.
To receive electronic updates on CPUC proceedings, sign-up for the CPUC’s free subscription service at http://subscribecpuc.cpuc.ca.gov.
The CPUC regulates services and utilities, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and assures Californians’ access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

This is part of the April 8, 2022 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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