FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov

CPUC PRAISES FCC DECISION TO BRING BROADBAND HEALTH NETWORK TO CALIFORNIA'S RURAL REGIONS

SAN FRANCISCO, November 21, 2007 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today applauded the Federal Communications Commission's Rural Health Care Pilot Program decision, which granted over $22 million over a three-year period to a proposed statewide California Telehealth Network (CTN). The goal of the CTN is to increase access to health care in rural areas by linking California providers to each other, and also to a nationwide broadband health care network.

The CPUC assisted with the preparation of the FCC application for the CTN. CPUC Commissioner Rachelle Chong, who has been designated to serve on the CTN Advisory Committee, commented, "Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for world class broadband networks throughout this great state, in order to better the lives of everyone. Through the California Telehealth Network, we will be able to bring broadband connections from rural and tribal health care clinics to University of California teaching hospitals, public hospitals, and other California health care facilities, and promote cutting edge telemedicine and other health IT applications. In the event of any health emergency including disasters and pandemics, this new telehealth network will help health providers get critical support and specialty assistance using state of the art broadband technology."

The CTN will be constructed over a three to five year period led by the University of California together with the UC Davis Health System, in a partnership with a coalition of government agencies including the CPUC, other health care providers, and partners. Up to $8.6 million in additional financial commitments have been secured from the California Emerging Technology Fund and UnitedHealth Group Inc. to support the implementation and sustainability of this new telehealth network.

Governor Schwarzenegger's press release on this issue is available at http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/8148/.

The FCC's press release on this issue is available at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-278260A1.doc.

The University of California's press release on this issue is available at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/16856.

For more information on communications issues, please visit www.CalPhoneInfo.com.

For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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