CRYSTAL CITY, VA.—Womble Carlyle attorney Rebecca Jacobs moderated a high-profile panel discussion on E-rate/fiber issues for companies providing federally-supported broadband fiber to schools and libraries as part of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition's Seventh Annual Conference.
In addition, Womble Carlyle attorneys Doug Bonner, Mark Palchick and Marty Stern all attended the SHLB Conference, which attracts leaders from the education, healthcare, government and communications technology industries to discuss broadband issues affecting community anchor institutions.
In the panel discussion, which was part of an E-Rate/Fiber Workshop at the conference, fiber companies and their financing partners provided examples of their progress in using E-rate to deploy fiber and share their lessons learned. The workshop was well-attended and eclipsed last year's attendance of over 100 participants according to SHLB Executive Director John Windhausen. Jacobs moderated the discussion, which included Fatbeam's Greg Green, David Irek of Netsync Network Solutions and Mike Wilson of CostQuest.
The SHLB Coalition Annual Conference takes place May 31-June 2 in Northern Virginia. The theme of this year's conference is "United States of Anchors." Womble Carlyle is a sponsor of the conference.
For more insights from Womble Carlyle's Washington, D.C.-based Communications, Technology and Media Law team, please see the firm's Communications, Tech & Media Review Blog.
Rebecca Jacobs has a comprehensive communications law practice, guiding clients in media law, Internet, telecom, cable and privacy/data protection matters. She counsels communications industry clients in negotiating contracts and complex business transactions, as well as helping them resolve disputes and regulatory challenges.
Doug Bonner has more than 20 years of experience representing wireline and wireless telecommunications providers, cable TV, VoIP and broadcast companies in FCC, FTC and state regulatory proceedings, as well as in telecommunications-related litigation. His specific areas of practice include telecommunications and mass media; communications litigation; and antitrust, regulatory and government affairs, relating to the telecom industry.
Mark Palchick has been an attorney in the communications field since 1975. He is experienced in matters relating to the domestic and international cable industry, international copyright, negotiations of program affiliation agreements, E-rate funding, pole attachment matters, interconnection agreements between private carriers and other FCC regulatory matters. In 2013 he was honored by the Cable Television Industry and inducted into the Cable Pioneers.
Marty Stern provides legal and strategic counsel on regulatory, policy and commercial matters to telecommunications, information technology and media firms, including network operators, programmers, and technology companies, in the United States and globally. He also develops and executes regulatory and legislative strategies, including through trade associations and the formation and implementation of industry coalitions, and engages in associated advocacy.
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