The goal of the workshops will be to promote an open dialogue between the FCC and key constituents on matters important to the National Broadband Plan. Key constituents will include service providers, equipment providers, applications providers, community groups, and other groups that have a stake in the future of broadband. Workshops will consist of meetings held at the FCC. The public will have the opportunity to suggest meeting topics and questions for the workshops. All meetings will be broadcast over the Internet when possible, and archived for viewing at a later time to ensure that everyone has access to the content.

The goal of this workshop is to evaluate the potential effects of increased broadband penetration and speed on U.S. productivity growth, economic growth, and employment. In addition to examining the potential effects of broadband on the macro-economy, the workshop will also examine studies that address how broadband is likely to affect specific sectors of the economy, including specific industries and geographic areas. In this regard, the workshop will consider the potential effects of broadband on capital investment, employment and innovation within particular sectors. The workshop will also consider how these sector-specific effects will affect the larger economy.

The workshop will also consider the likely benefits of broadband to consumers, particularly those in rural areas, such as providing greater access to consumer information and services, expanded educational and job training opportunities, and improved access to healthcare, via telemedicine - each of which will be explored in more detail in other workshops. Finally, the workshop will consider how these studies of the impact of broadband on economic growth, employment and investment can inform the design of the national broadband plan.