Important Conference on Spectrum Policy and Community Networking

I’m actually cutting short my vacation to Pennsic to give the Keynote address at the 2004 National Summit for Community Wireless Networks on August 20-22, 2004. This conference is a meeting of folks deploying community wireless networks, policy wonks like yours truly, and anyone else who cares about revolutionizing spectrum policy and setting networks free. the goal is to educate each other and develop ways to move forward in a coherent movement that promotes positive spectrum management reforms. The announcement is reprinted below. Please circulate widely. Hope to see you all there.

Please JOIN US for this pivotal event in organizing for the future of progressive spectrum policy:

2004 National Summit for Community Wireless Networks

Key topics of interest:

o Wireless broadband access as a public utility

o Low-cost, high speed broadband for underserved communities

o Cutting edge technologies for independent, community media

o Breakthrough opportunities for local government, local educators

o Unlicensed spectrum as an open access, public media system

o Critical policy debates going on NOW in Washington

For information: www.communitywirelesssummit.org/

On August 20-22, 2004, Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network, Free Press, and Prairienet Community Network will host the 2004 National Summit for Community Wireless Networks. It will be the largest community wireless networking event to date and will bring together technology and policy leaders, decision-makers, students, researchers, and other participants in wireless networking and community networking initiatives for the express purpose of discussing policy issues and practical solutions to problems facing community wireless networks.

Researchers and developers will present breakthrough technologies for public service broadband applications. In addition to discussing technological challenges and best-practices models, the event will facilitate the critical alliance of local technologists and national policy advocates. These meetings will build strategic plans for expanding the deployment of community wireless networks and for ensuring that the federal government regulates spectrum to increase unlicensed access.

The Summit will be hosted in the Siebel Center for Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Opening day activities will begin at 3 PM on August 20th and will conclude in the afternoon of August 22nd.

Speakers and participants will include representatives from:

* New America Foundation

* Media Access Project

* Free Press

* Austin Wireless

* NoCat

* NYC Wireless

* BAWUG

* BARWN

* Seattle Wireless

* Personal Telco

* CUWiN

* ChiFi

* NPOTechs

Sponsorship and presentation opportunities are still available.

For information contact bscott@freepress.net (202-265-1490)

For information about the program, travel, and accommodation:

www.communitywirelesssummit.org/

To register: www.communitywirelesssummit.org/register