“I believe that America should lead the world in broadband penetration and Internet access. Full broadband penetration can enrich democratic discourse,
enhance competition, provide economic growth, and bring significant consumer benefits.”

- President Barack Obama, January, 2008

Our nation’s economy is poised for transformation and broadband can be a key component to the nation’s innovation and growth. As we work on expanding
and improving broadband, we can envision the potential impact on our economy by looking at how new technologies have changed our lives thus far.

The entertainment and consumer electronics industries underwent a transformation when broadband’s initial adoption changed the Internet - and the computer - forever.

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Get ready, get set, innovate

If stimulus and shovel-ready are the words of the year, and if this means we’re ready to invest billions, shouldn’t we know what we’ll get for all
this money?

Sure, we’re told what we’re building in terms of facilities and infrastructure. Yet we can’t possibly see where this will take us, any more than
we could have imagined the full potential of Interstate highways more than 50 years ago.

We should be prepared for benefits, consequences and things we cannot yet envision.

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Detroit Connected Community Highlights: Youthville, Detroit

Youthville is an organization promoting a holistic and integrated approach to developing youth in Detroit. Programs for kids include computers, leadership, academics, fitness, web broadcasting and music studio recording. Among these programs is the new one-of-a-kind 24-hour IPTV broadcasting studio.

Media Operations Manager Michael Kuentz explained that YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and other social networking activities are the rise, while broadcast television stations are facing their demise.

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Broadband caveats and pitfalls - and how to avoid them

As with any investment, there are risks associated with your community’s investment in broadband infrastructure. You’ll want to avoid common pitfalls that can waste time and money and even lead to failure.

Here are recommendations to position your community for success:

Don’t think too big or too small: A project that is too large won’t get done, and one that’s too small won’t make a difference.

At the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, we suggest the building-block approach. For example, if you want to create training centers where displaced workers can learn new skills, start with two or three neighborhoods to pilot the project. You can then create a model that can be replicated throughout your community.

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