On Tuesday November 18 2014 Next Century Cities and the Southeast Tennessee Development District will hosted a field hearing “Envisioning a Gigabit Future” in Chattanooga. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST. Participants will hear from panelists who will discuss how and why gigabit infrastructure is quickly becoming a critical component to local community vitality. Speakers include: Mayor Andy Berke, Chattanooga, TN; Senator Janice Bowling, Tennessee State Senate (16th District); Mayor Gary Davis, Bradley County, TN; Harold DePriest, President and CEO, EPB; Jonathan Taplin, Director, Annenberg Innovation Lab, University of Southern California; Tony Perez, Director of the Seattle Office of Cable Communications and President of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors; Aldona Valicenti, Chief Information Officer, Lexington, KY; Rick Usher, Assistant City Manager, Kansas City, MO; and Beth Jones, Executive Director, Southeast Tennessee Development District; From the invitation:
Chattanooga is one of America’s first – and leading – truly “gigabit” communities. Although the city’s investment and commitment has yielded dividends for the city itself, this is not just an issue of local or parochial concern. The potential for gigabit and next-generation broadband to improve America’s communities is a national question, with national implications.
For example, Tennessee is one of about twenty states that restrict community broadband choice, prompting Chattanooga and Wilson, North Carolina (another such state), to petition the Federal Communications Commission to remove these restrictions so that Chattanooga and Wilson can expand their highly successful networks.
The event will be webcast live via U.S. Education TV
Twitter: @NextCentCit | @SETNDevelopment | #gigfuture