INTRODUCTION
Latino Issues Forum continues to be one of the few Latino organizations continuing to work on consumer protections, telecommunications and technology issues. Through our projects we have worked diligently to educate, organize and advocate with and on behalf of the Latino and low-income communities throughout California. The issues we have worked on include building support for the Telecommunications Bill of Rights, Consumer Protection Initiative, in-language consumer education on telecommunications issues, affordable broadband access, Universal Services and funding for community technology projects. Over the past year, LIF has played a strong role in helping to bring these issues and other community-based organizations to the forefront and to play more visible roles in regulatory and legislative proceedings in these issues.

Why is LIF still involved in this work? We are losing ground in consumer protections. More than four years ago a Bill of Rights (BOR) was proposed to provide consumers with stronger consumer protections. It was not until May of 2004 that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) finally approved a BOR. On June 27, 2005, the CPUC voted to suspend the BOR and on December 2005 in a 3 – 1 vote supported an alternative decision with weak enforcement provisions, no 30 day cancellation rights for cell phone users, no language provision and language that basically allows cell phone companies to police themselves. In addition, 2006 led to another round of telecommunications mergers and the passing of legislation that allows telecommunications companies into the cable franchise business under a more business friendly environment.

Finally, the digital divide is widening. 2006 marks the 10th anniversary of the publicly recognized “digital divide.” In 2005 and 2006 studies have emerged showing that the gap is closing yet, according to a September 2006 Center for Education Statistics report, two of every three white students – 67 percent-use the internet, but less than half of blacks and Latinos do. Furthermore, 54 percent of white students use the Internet at home, compared with 26 percent of Latino and 27 percent of blacks. These studies continue to show that Latinos continue to face barriers that will impact their ability to compete in an increasingly technological world. Bridging the digital divide requires a holistic policymaking approach and demands the development of programs that encourage the utilization of technology as a tool to create positive community outcomes. It is imperative not to overlook the issue of access to the most advanced technologies, technological training, affordability and the availability of appropriate in-language content, especially in the framework of developing policy solutions to bridge the digital divide in the Latino community.

Our work specifically aims to:

• Expand access to basic and advanced services for underserved communities.
• Increase and influence local, state and federal regulation and legislation on telecommunications and consumer protection issues by mobilizing the Latino community.
• Increase public and private investment in underserved communities.

• AB 891 Assembly Bill 891 (Hector De La Torre) would require cell phone companies that advertise in languages other than English to provide a written summary of key terms and conditions in the languages they market to consumers in.
  

COALITION BUILDING

In order to achieve many of our goals LIF works with other non profit organizations, funders, legislators, the media and community members. Through a series of community discussions, roundtables, conference calls, list serves, newsletters and use of the LIF website, we are able to mobilize, educate and inform community members on a variety of issues.


RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS

Assessing The Technology Needs and Interests of Latino Service Non-Profits in the San Francisco Bay Area, March 2004The report was organized as a tool that can be utilized by Latino-serving CBOs, policymakers, philanthropists and other stakeholders alike to advance the use of information technology among Latino CBOs and allow them to better harness their unique community perspective to improve the social, political and economic standing of the Latino community in the San Francisco Bay Area. LIF conducted a survey that allowed us to collect data regarding access to information, funding sources, training, hardware, software, Internet availability, and overall information technology use from 43 Bay Area Latino-serving CBOs.

Connecting California's Children: Is E-rate Enough: The LIF report finds California's poorest schools are still behind in the race for technology. A report on the status of E-Rate funding to schools in low-income communities and policy recommendations for legislators, community members and educators. This report demonstrates that California's schools in lower income communities still have a long way to go in being able to integrate technology into the lives of its students.

Latinos, Computers and the Internet Brief, 2004: The brief discusses the gains made and the gaps that remain for Latino access to information technology in the U.S. The scope of the analysis focuses on Latinos and how income, educational attainment, language use and occupation type, impact computer and Internet access rates.