Rural Telecom Congress annual conference

The Rural Telecommunications Congress and Connect Kentucky, the host of Rural Telecon ‘05’, are pleased to announce that on-line registration for the conference is now open. The conference is scheduled from October 9 – 12. Some conference features include:

• Keynote Speaker – Dr. Dena Puskin, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
• Keynote Speaker – Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher
• Keynote Speaker – Ann Pope, Appalachian Regional Commission
• Community of Interest Roundtable Discussions
• Over 35 experts presenting the latest information on broadband, community development, and new fiber and wireless technology.
• FCC Panel Discussion on broadband policy and how it affects communities.
• Vendor Exhibits, with vendors offering a wide range of broadband services and technology.

This year’s conference will be held at the Lexington Center with accommodations at the adjacent Radisson Hotel. I'll be a speaker at the conference (talking about the economic development value of community Web portals), but that's not the only reason to attend. The RTC conferences have been among the best community technology meetings I've been to over the years. They are consistently information-rich, and the RTC board works hard to get knowledgeable speakers and to keep out thinly veiled sales pitches.