The U.S. Broadband Coalition today released a report highlighting the crucial issues that must be addressed in a National Broadband Strategy, which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to complete by February 2010.

Blair Levin, the coordinator of the National Broadband Plan for the FCC, accepted the report at an event held at the FCC building in Washington, D.C.

CTC Technology & Energy President Joanne Hovis represented the interests of local governments on a panel presentation held to elaborate on the report’s findings. Ms. Hovis, who is a member of the board of directors and the incoming president-elect of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), discussed the importance of broadband services to local government. She focused her discussion on the multiple roles that local governments have as users, providers, and consumer advocates, and she highlighted examples of municipal provision of broadband services around the country.