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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order
constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
July 14, 2009 Jen Howard, (202) 418-0506
Jen.howard@fcc.gov
Harvard’s Berkman Center to Conduct 
Independent Review of Broadband Studies to Assist FCC
WASHINGTON – The Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University will 
conduct an independent expert review of existing literature and studies about broadband 
deployment and usage throughout the world. This project will help inform the FCC’s efforts in 
developing the National Broadband Plan.
“Advanced communications have the potential to enhance the lives of all Americans, improve 
public safety, create jobs, and support our economic recovery,” Chairman Julius Genachowski
said. “As the Commission embarks on the important task of crafting a National Broadband Plan, 
better data will inform and animate the activities of the agency. The Berkman Center’s 
independent review of existing information will help lay the foundation for enlightened, data-
driven decisionmaking. I appreciate the Berkman Center’s invaluable assistance and look 
forward to seeing the results.”
Yochai Benkler, the Berkman Professor of Entrepreneurial Legal Studies at Harvard, and 
faculty co-director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, said, “I am pleased that the 
Berkman Center can contribute positively to the process Chairman Genachowski has envisioned 
for developing a national broadband strategy by providing to the Commission, and thereby the 
public, the results of our compilation and assessment of the existing literature on this important 
and timely subject.”
“A comprehensive assessment of these plans will be enormously helpful given our short 
timetable,” said Blair Levin, who is coordinating the FCC’s National Broadband Plan. “We 
don’t want to reinvent the wheel. Knowing what has already been learned will improve our 
ability to deliver the best possible National Broadband Plan.” 
Consistent with Chairman Genachowski’s recent public statements regarding an open and 
transparent National Broadband Plan process, the results of the Berkman Center review will be 
made publicly available.
-- FCC --