News from New York State Office for Technology

For more information contact: Karl Felsen, 518-408-2140

Telecommunications Association and PRroviders Join Universal Broadband Actions Teams

ALBANY, NY (04/11/2008; 1013)(readMedia)-- Dr. Melodie Mayberry-Stewart, New York State Chief Information Officer and Director of the Office for Technology, announced today the New York State Telecommunications Association, Inc. (NYSTA), Verizon, AT & T, and Frontier Communications have agreed to participate on all five Action Teams of the State’s Universal Broadband Council.

“Having major telecommunications providers at the table will enable our action teams accelerating the State’s ability to meet our universal broadband strategic goal to eliminate remaining gaps in access, affordability, and adoption New Yorkers still experience in rural and underserved urban communities,” said Mayberry-Stewart.

“New York’s telecommunications industry looks forward to working with the State and the Office for Technology in helping identify and develop policies that will meet our mutual goal of bringing broadband service to all New Yorkers,” said Robert R. Puckett, President of NSYTA.

The Universal Broadband Council was formed in December 2007, and charged with developing and implementing strategies to ensure every New Yorker has access to affordable, high-speed Internet service. It is comprised of 28 members representing state and local government, libraries, municipal associations, economic development, as well as secondary and higher education.

The work of the Council is done through five heavily engaged Action Teams, that average 12 members per team, which consist of public and private partners working collaboratively to close the digital divide gaps that remain throughout the State and average 12 members dedicated to achieving New York State’s Broadband Strategy. The Broadband Council’s five Action Teams and the new Telecommunications Association representatives, who will joint the existing teams, are:

Broadband Network Infrastructure Access

• Thomas McCarroll, Vice President, Verizon Regulatory Affairs
• Robert Puckett, President, NYSTA
• Jay Summerson, Vice President, AT&T External Affairs
• James Brennan, Senior Account Manager, Verizon Business
• Juliana Janson, Director of Government and External Affairs, Frontier Communications

Personal Computing, Community Outreach, Communications, Consumer Education, Technology Procurement

• Aldo Bianchi, Director, Verizon External Affairs
• Ken Sill, Sales Engineering Manager, Verizon Business
• Karen Miller, Manager of Communications, Frontier Communications

E-Government Applications for Low-Income Households

• Juliana Janson, Director of Government and External Affairs, Frontier Communications
• David Lamendola, Director, Verizon Government Relations
• Robert Puckett, President, NYSTA

Economic Development and IT Workforce Development

• Richard Bozsik, Director, Verizon Regulatory Affairs
• Robert Puckett, President, NYSTA
• Jeff Schleier, Manager, Verizon Outside Plant Engineering Planning and Provisioning – Northeast
• Mike Sharry, Manager Government and External Affairs, Frontier Communications

Governmental Initiatives

• Jay Summerson, Vice President, AT&T External Affairs
• Juliana Janson, Director of Government and External Affairs, Frontier Communications
• David Lamendola, Director, Verizon Government Relations
• Robert Puckett, President, NYSTA
• Michael McCormack, Regional Sales Manager, Verizon Business

“Our Action Teams are hard at work mapping New York State to pinpoint where our access gaps are, looking at best practices digital literacy programs, looking at national broadband policy, or the lack thereof, exploring the potential for e-government services and the impact of broadband for economic development, and rolling up their sleeves on many other issues affecting the access, adoption and use of the Internet. New York is competing globally, and we are thrilled to have the telecommunications industry as a strategic broadband partner helping the State successfully deploy our universal access initiative,” concluded Mayberry-Stewart.

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