To and Through Anchors: Strategy to Connect Rural America

The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition will release a holistic broadband strategy to close the digital divide in rural markets. Particularly timely following the release of the Trump Administration’s infrastructure proposal earlier today, SHLB’s rural broadband strategy will focus on deploying high-capacity broadband “to and through anchors” to the surrounding community through wireless and wireline technologies. This strategy focused on schools, libraries, health providers, community colleges, and other anchor institutions could solve the digital divide for millions of rural Americans.

On the call, SHLB will release a new paper from CTC Technology & Energy that estimates the cost to connect all remaining anchors to fiber.  SHLB will also outline its strategy to connect rural America with a mix of fiber, fixed wireless, and TV WhiteSpace (TVWS), and present specific policy recommendations for the Trump Administration and Congress. The call will feature prominent voices representing anchor institutions as well as wireless advocates and commercial providers.

Speakers will include:

• John Windhausen, Jr., Executive Director, SHLB Coalition
• Joanne Hovis, President, and Andrew Afflerbach, CEO & Director of Engineering, CTC Technology & Energy
• Jim Hermes, Associate Vice President, Government Relations, American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
• Melissa Slawson, General Counsel and Vice President of Government Affairs and Education, GeoLinks
• Don Means, Executive Director, Gigabit Libraries Network (GLN)
• Richard Cullen, Executive Director, Connect Americans Now

Phone Line Number: (202) 847-5889 (No PIN Required)