NATOA stresses importance of local government "Middle Mile" networks in National Broadband Plan

Representatives of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors met with Federal Communications Commission staff to discuss the importance of local government "Middle Mile" networks and the role they should be asked to play in the National Broadband Plan. The meeting reviewed a series of specific case studies of local government broadband "anchor institution" networks. The participants discussed the commonalities, requirements, and impediments to these networks as described on the enclosed materials. The participants also discussed the role these networks can and should play in bringing high capacity broadband at low cost to anchor institutions and the potential of these networks to provide "middle mile" transport for "last mile" broadband providers. Based on the lessons learned in these case studies, the participants discussed the action steps necessary to facilitate deployment of these networks in underserved communities across the country.