California Taps Telecom Panel

CALIFORNIA TAPS TELECOM PANEL
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
Executives from Verizon Communications, AT&T and Cox Communications are among 21 industry leaders who will craft California’s future telecommunications policy as part of a task force named by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R). According to Gov Schwarzenegger’s executive order, the task force will : 1) create a database within the state Business, Transportation and Housing Agency that will link private broadband companies with state transportation agencies in order to better coordinate fiber optic installation; 2) establish pricing policy for the use of rights-of-way, based on how much it actually costs the state when providers access its roads; 3) create streamlined rights-of-way permitting procedures; 4) use information gathered by the bipartisan panel to map the state’s current broadband resources. The governor wants more public meetings available via broadband to the state’s citizens and training available to state staff, so the BTH will work with the General Services agency to reach that goal. All state buildings should also be equipped as wireless hot spots, according to Schwarzenegger’s executive order. The governor also wants state agencies to enable VoIP technologies and include broadband conduit in all infrastructure planning.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6398567.html?display=Top+Stories