Pacific Northwest Consumer Outreach Rural Tour

The FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Rural Tour reached out to rural and underserved consumers in Washington and Oregon the week of Sept. 17-21, and met with groups that represent and work with these consumers.

The goal of the trip was to expand outreach to consumers in rural areas to provide consumer information and resources on issues that affect their daily lives, as well as provide warnings and alerts on recent scams which have cost consumers millions of dollars. The FCC sought to build partnerships with local consumer-oriented entities to help improve the effectiveness of future outreach efforts and establish ways to work together to reach consumers and community members.

Topics covered included:

• Robocalls, spoofing, scam alerts
• Slamming, cramming and other telephone bill related items
• Incentive Auctions, Broadcast Transition (What consumers need to know; how to take action; Broadcast TV Stations in your area will be affected)
• Broadband and Digital Inclusion: encouraging everyone to get online
• Tip Cards, translations (guides and materials available in several other languages), alternative formats (Braille and accessible formats)
• Lost and Stolen Mobile Devices – Protecting Mobile Devices
• How to make your views heard at the FCC
• How to file complaints and comments with the FCC

All tour events listed were open to the public and free to attend.

In addition to public meetings, FCC staff met with officials, library directors and local leaders in Longview, Mount Vernon, Olympia and Seattle, WA, and Bend, Portland and Sandy, OR.

Also, Roger Goldblatt, Deputy Bureau Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, presented on a panel at the NTCA - the Rural Broadband Association's 2018 Fall Conference on Sept. 18 in Seattle, WA and spoke at the Financial Crimes & Digital Evidence Conference on Sept. 20 in Salem, OR.

Tour Events

Day 1: Monday, 9/17

• 10:30 am - 11:30 am
  Consumer Town Hall 
  Mount Vernon Police Court Campus Auxiliary Conference Room
  1805 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA  98273 (Skagit County)

• 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
  Public meeting in front of the Skagit County Board of County Commissioners 
  1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA  98273

Day 2: Tuesday, 9/18

• 12 Noon
  Presentation at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL)
  2021 9^th Avenue, Seattle, WA  98121

• 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
  Presentation at the 320^th Street Library
  848 S 320^th St., Federal Way, WA  98003 (King County)

Day 3: Wednesday, 9/19

• Noon - 1:00 pm
  Presentation at Twin Cities Senior Center
  2545 N. National Avenue, Chehalis, WA  98532 (Lewis County)

Day 4: Thursday, 9/20

• 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
  Presentation at Canby Public Library
  220 NE 2^nd Avenue, Canby, OR  97013 (Clackamas County)