Dianah Neff, Philadelphia's Chief Information Officer

Dianah Neff is the Chief Information Office (CIO) for the City of Philadelphia, the fifth largest city in the United States. As such, she's been actively involved in the efforts of the Wireless Philadelphia Executive Committee to assess the needs of various local constituencies and formulate business plan options that would allow the City of Philadelphia to reduce the digital divide, stimulate business development, increase the city's competitiveness on the national and international levels, and set the stage for future innovation.

The passage of "House Bill 30" by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has, however, threatened to derail these efforts, since it includes these provisions:

H) PROHIBITION AGAINST POLITICAL SUBDIVISION ADVANCED AND BROADBAND SERVICES DEPLOYMENT.--

(1) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR UNDER PARAGRAPH (2), A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OR ANY ENTITY ESTABLISHED BY A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION MAY NOT PROVIDE TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMPENSATION ANY TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, INCLUDING ADVANCED AND BROADBAND SERVICES, WITHIN THE SERVICE TERRITORY OF A LOCAL EXCHANGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY OPERATING UNDER A NETWORK MODERNIZATION PLAN.

(2) A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION MAY OFFER ADVANCED OR BROADBAND SERVICES IF THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISION HAS SUBMITTED A WRITTEN REQUEST FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF SUCH SERVICE TO THE LOCAL EXCHANGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY SERVING THE AREA AND, WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF RECEIPT OF THE REQUEST, THE LOCAL EXCHANGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY OR ONE OF ITS AFFILIATES HAS NOT AGREED TO PROVIDE THE DATA SPEEDS REQUESTED. IF THE LOCAL EXCHANGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY OR ONE OF ITS AFFILIATES AGREES TO PROVIDE THE DATA SPEEDS REQUESTED, THEN IT MUST DO SO WITHIN 14 MONTHS OF RECEIPT OF THE REQUEST.

(3) THE PROHIBITION IN PARAGRAPH (1) SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO PRECLUDE THE CONTINUED PROVISION OR OFFERING OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES BY A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE SAME TYPE AND SCOPE AS WERE BEING PROVIDED ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.

Broadband Wireless Access World interviewed Philadelphia CIO Dianah Neff today and talked with her about the progress made so far by the Wireless Philadelphia Executive Committee and about the impact of the possible approval by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (a former mayor of Philadelphia) on that city's plans for a universal ubiquitous wireless deployment of broadband connectivity within its boundaries.

Ms. Neff said that the City of Philadelphia was trying to negotiate a compromise with Verizon that would allow them to proceed with their plans.

You can hear that interview in its entirety by clicking here.