ACM International Conference and Trade Show

BROADBAND NYC Friday March 30, 2007

Sponsored by the Office of Council Member Gale A. Brewer (CD6 - Manhattan), the Office of the Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, and the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO), the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee will hold its first public hearing on Friday, March 30, from 10 AM to Noon, in the Gould Memorial Library Auditorium, Bronx Community College, University Avenue at W. 181st Street.  

Sponsored by Council Member Gale Brewer,  Local Law 126 (http://nyccouncil.info/issues/intros_act.cfm?intro=Int%200625%2D2005), created the Broadband Advisory Committee to advise the Mayor and the City Council on how to bring affordable broadband to all New York City residents, nonprofit organizations and businesses.  The Committee will hear testimony from select elected officials, policy experts and, most importantly, Bronx residents.  Council Member Brewer and Borough President Carrion invite all Bronx residents, nonprofit organizations and businesses to testify about the availability and affordability -- or lack of -- of broadband (that is, a high-speed connection to the Internet) in their neighborhoods.

You can learn more about the Broadband Advisory Committee as well as comment about the issue of broadband in New York City by going to the Broadband Advisory Committee's blog, www.nycbroadband.blogspot.com.  Comments will then be posted on the Committee's blog for public consumption.  Or you can mail your comments to Colleen Pagter, Policy Analyst for the Committee on Technology in Government, New York City Council, 250 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10007.   If you cannot make it to the hearing on March 30, we still want to hear from you so feel free to post your thoughts on the Advisory Committee's blog!

 Some questions we would like to get answers to include:
• Why is a fast affordable Internet connection important to you?
• What do you consider an "affordable" fee to pay for a high-speed connection to the Internet?
• If you have a broadband connection, what do you use it for (e.g., help your child do his/her homework)?
• If don't have broadband or if you had a faster connection to the Internet, what would you use it for (e.g., market your business on-line or look for a job)?
The hearing in the Bronx will kick-off a series of five public hearings that will be convened in every borough of New York City.  Based on these hearings and with the help of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the Advisory Committee will report their findings and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council.

For more information, please visit www.nycbroadband.blogspot.com or call the Office of Council Member Gale A. Brewer at 212.788.6975.