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According to a Pew Research Center Internet & American Life Project study, "The Mobile Difference," nearly 40 percent Americans have positive and improving attitudes about their mobile communication devices, thereby further immersing themselves into a more robust digital lifestyle.
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How will broadband affect burgeoning controversies over health care? The answers to this question and more came courtesy of a Broadband Cenus-hosted, hour-long panel discussion. View a video of the discussion.
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President Obama on Innovation and Sustainable Growth. President Barack Obama has new plans to strengthen the economy that will all favor people with hi-tech educations.
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Elevate Miami, a comprehensive Digital Inclusion program launched by the city of Miami, aims to serve youth, low-income families, minorities, seniors and residents facing barriers to digital inclusion.
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The Knight Center of Digital Excellence held its first Stimulus Webcast Session for Knight communities and program directors July 23. Watch it online now.
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By pushing hard on broadband, lawmakers hope to close the "digital divide" that has long separated rural America. In doing so, they hope to give rural consumers access to the same sorts of high-speed services and opportunities - think telemedicine, distance-learning and Web-based commerce - that city dwellers have enjoyed for years.
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Posts Tagged ‘digital divide’
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
In Northeast Ohio, the Cuyahoga County Public Library System (CCPL) has established a new beachhead for bridging the digital divide. After five years of experimenting with ultra-broadband and integrating it into the library’s menu of services, CCPL is now known across the country as a pace-setting library system and an early innovator in ultra- broadband applications for servicing the public.
For communities all over the country, the public library – often the only agency offering free access to Internet-based services – is playing an increasingly relevant role in helping to bridge the digital divide. The opportunities for impact are profound, however the challenges are numerous: Access to funding and bandwidth are critical ingredients for responding to rising public need and demand, and the ability to effectively track impact remains elusive. Yet for populations across the country, having digital access, or not, may also mean: Acquiring new skills or not. Learning English or not. Applying for a job … or not. In these times of national economic stress, the role of public libraries in the digital-divide equation may be more critical than ever.
CCPL’s experiences provide lessons for pursuing a broadband vision that can impact the digital divide in communities around the country. In the wake of CCPL’s advances in Northeast Ohio, a new threshold of innovation has dawned, and for public libraries nationwide, so has the opportunity to serve as beacons of hope to the millions of Americans in danger of being left behind in the digital divide.
For a thorough analysis of CCPL’s experience, download “Broadband & The Digital Divide: The New Role of Public Libraries,” a case study supported by the Knight Foundation.
Appendices:
Appendices A to C
Appendix D
Appendix E
Appendix F
Appendix G
Appendices H to I
Tags: broadband, Broadband Expansion, CCPL, community, Cuyahoga County Public Library, digital, digital divide, economy, education, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, Knight, library, network, Northeast Ohio
Posted in Cleveland Experience series, Digital news, broadband | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
A recent event that didn’t get a lot of attention but managed to bring in a lot of the communication industry’s heavy hitters was SUPERCOMM 2009, held in Chicago during late October.
Speakers presenting on their insights and strategic plans included top-ranking officials from many major communications companies such as Verizon Communications, AT&T Operations, NBC Universal and Cox Communications – just to name a few. Verizon Communications Chairman Ivan Seidenberg delivered a keynote address touching on using networking technology to create a “smarter planet, smarter health care and smarter education.”
Private sector interests were also represented by Hardik Bhatt, Chicago’s chief information officer; Jonathan Adelstein, administrator, Rural Utilities Service; Larry Strickling, assistant secretary for Communications and Information and administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration; Blair Levin, executive director, Omnibus Broadband Initiative, Federal Communications Commission; and Aneesh Chopra, U.S. chief technology officer and associate director for technology in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, who delivered a keynote address on how he feels broadband will change the U.S. economy.
The event featured a number of suppliers showcasing the latest in broadband innovation as well as exhibits that demonstrated an industry-wide commitment to “green broadband,” which explores green regulations, recent studies on business opportunities in the low-carbon economy and how applications like intelligent monitoring can help reduce the energy burden of broadband.
Despite “always on” operation, broadband devices typically don’t consume a large amount of energy on their own, according to a U.S Department of Energy report. However, the appreciable indirect energy consumption they cause through extended use of related devices is proving to be significant. Figures presented at SUPERCOMM showed the standby power-draw from routers in 61 million U.S. homes served with broadband represents enough energy to meet the needs of the entire city of Oakland, Calif.
SUPERCOMM 2009’s complimentary programming also focused on broadband solutions. Technology-focused sessions took a forward-looking approach at how certain technologies were deployed in a network or how a service was applied, and how that technology or service will evolve to apply to future needs. Educational sessions covered topics such as the upcoming national broadband plan, digital content, service-oriented networks and social media.
While a number of interesting topics were discussed, it was good to see such a diverse group of key public and private sector thinkers convene to discuss how future innovation benefits everyone. It’s evident that key players in the communications game are placing an emphasis on broadband technology and the kinds of services and applications it can potentially power.
Tags: Aneesh Chopra, AT&T, Blair Levin, Broadband Expansion, California, Chicago, Cox Communications, digital, digital content, digital divide, economy, electricity, FCC, Federal, green broadband, Hardik Bhatt, high-speed, Illinois, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, Ivan Seidenberg, Jonathan Adelstein, Larry Strickling, national broadband plan, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, NBC Universal, NTIA, Oakland, Omnibus Broadband Initiative, Rural Utilities Service, RUS, service-oriented network, social media, SUPERCOMM 2009, U.S. Department of Energy, utilities, Verizon
Posted in Digital news, broadband | No Comments »
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
 When the Knight Center of Digital Excellence prepares to enter one of the 26 Knight Communities, it has a specific methodology to measure progress as that community works to become connected. Regardless of where the community is located, what its population size is, or what its needs are, the steps followed to reach the end point do not change much.
Basically, every community map points to the same spot. It’s the route and mode of transportation that’s different.
Knight Center Community Program Manager Lynda Goff provided an example of this by comparing two of her Knight Communities: Lexington, Ky., and Aberdeen, S.D. Communities such as Lexington already realize what benefits broadband technology can bring and may already have a few projects in the works. Communities such as the more rural Aberdeen may realize their needs, but aren’t fully aware of what the benefits of a broadband network may be.
One needs a facilitator. The other needs an advisor. Both need to emphasize different types of collaboration to get the right community projects moving.
In Lexington, the University of Kentucky and local government have some existing network sharing, but it wasn’t until a more collaborative community process was established that current key stakeholders were able to define what projects really were needed. A more collaborative process with the community brought other people to the table to develop a stronger, more representative voice.
The Knight Center facilitated the formation and on-going support of the Lexington Broadband Coalition, a group that has designed plans to extend the existing four square mile, downtown wireless network to cover a 10-square-mile area and extend a fiber connection from University of Kentucky’s Coldstream Research Park to the Kentucky Horse Park, site of the upcoming 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games. The city expects over 600,000 visitors during the event, and plans to utilize the expanded wireless network to allow downtown visitors access up-to-the-minute event results and information on area transportation, parking, traffic, airports and hotels/restaurants/clubs.
| Best Practices: New series to focus on what’s working in communities |
| With our November newsletter, we’re introducing a new series aimed at helping those facing the everyday challenges of planning and building broadband networks in communities across the country. From now on, when you see a newsletter story or blog entry labeled “Best Practices,” you’ll know it is part of this series.
Through the “Best Practices” articles, we’ll share our best examples of what’s working – and what’s not – in communities investing in broadband.
Among the topics we’ll examine:
• Business models for sustaining open broadband networks in communities;
• Data-driven realities to keep you updated on facts and figures that can play into decision-making;
• Planning for both short-term and long-term – so it’s clear how your community will take full advantage of new networks once they are built.
• Creative ways to bring community organizations together to work toward advancing economic development through broadband applications.
In November’s newsletter, our series begins with two stories: One looking at the role of collaboration in two very different kind of cities – Lexington and Aberdeen - and the other pointing to data that can help with decision-making.
As we go along, please share your own stories with us so we can mutually benefit from valuable experience emerging from communities throughout our nation – as we transition together toward broadband speeds (gigabit, we believe) that can change the way we work and live while advancing our national economy and our competitive position in a global marketplace. |
But the wireless network project won’t stop when the games are over. With a more thorough collaborative effort, Lexington leaders were able to take a few months to form a team with stakeholders from various levels of the community to look at how the network can be used to increase public safety and move broadband into underserved areas of the city.
In Lexington, Goff said her experience in getting key stakeholders together and motivated was relatively easy since discussions were already taking place. Groups were small and the people needed to move projects forward were easily identified. However, a facilitator was needed to keep discussions ongoing and help leaders prioritize projects.
In Aberdeen, a broadband leadership role had never been fostered until the Knight Center began its work there. In fact, the small city had never even really discussed what a broadband network could help it achieve. With proper advising, however, the city is now having robust discussions on how to use broadband to build out to rural communities. Absolutely! Aberdeen, an online economic development and marketing program designed to improve the quality of life and job creation in the Aberdeen area through promotion, has stepped up as the area’s main leader in talking to individuals and facilitating a more regional discussion.
Absolutely! Aberdeen’s regional development plan, Prairie Vision, outlines an understanding: By unifying shared concerns and pooling resources, the region strengthens its voice and effects positive change and development while building relationships and bringing about mutual opportunities.
Those concerns center on services. Consider the rural area Aberdeen is located in. The city itself is home to 25,000 people. The surrounding 12-county area has a low population density, stretching 14,000 square miles with only nine inhabitants per square mile. That leads to some interesting questions. How do you effectively deliver health care to these people? How do you form interoperability so public safety forces can talk to each other?
The answer turned out to be broadband communications. The right program turned out to be the Northeast South Dakota Rural Broadband Project, which was made possible through a partnership between the Knight Center, TelServ Communications and the North East Council of Governments. The project aims to bring a wireless broadband super-highway linking 12 contiguous counties in rural Northeast South Dakota and provide broadband connectivity to more than 60,000 people. The Knight Center also worked with both partnering organizations to submit a Broadband Information Program application for funding.
In Aberdeen, stakeholders are now looking at broadband solutions to determine how to address regional concerns. What was once a topic that was never discussed has now developed into a strategic, long-range plan with a strong community leader receiving input from different sectors in the community.
Both Lexington and Aberdeen are looking at a broadband map pointing to the same spot. The route and mode of transportation each is using to get there is what’s different. Regardless, as both communities continue to plot their broadband directions, guided collaboration and leadership will help pave the way.
Tags: 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games, Aberdeen, Absolutely! Aberdeen, broadband, Broadband Expansion, Coldstream Research Park, community, digital, digital divide, healthcare, high-speed, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, Kentucky, Kentucky Horse Park, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Knight communities, Lexington, Lexington Broadband Coalition, Lynda Goff, methodology, network, North East Council of Governments, Northeast South Dakota Rural Broadband Project, Prairie Vision, public safety, rural communities, South Dakota, telemedicine, TelServ Communications, University of Kentucky
Posted in ARRA, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, broadband | No Comments »
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
 In any national broadband strategy, adoption and use need to play a major role. We’ve seen numerous examples of broadband driving future applications that will enhance lives. Advances in education, health care and economic development are out there, and many Americans are going to need to increase their technological competencies in order to realize the benefits.
While the U.S. Broadband Coalition submitted a report on a national broadband strategy to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Sept. 24, it recently submitted another that offers more detailed policy suggestions.
The Broadband Adoption and Use Working Group, chaired by Charles Benton, of the Benton Foundation; Link Hoewing, of Verizon; Karen Archer Perry, of the Knight Center of Digital Excellence; and Kenneth Peres of Communications Workers of America, collaborated with more than 30 authors representing over 25 different firms to create a new report that was delivered to the FCC Oct. 29 and will be showcased in a public forum at the FCC Hearing Room in Washington D.C. Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. EST.
“Broadband Adoption and Use: Bridging the Divide and Increasing the Intensity of Broadband Use Across All Sectors of the Economy,” is a robust document focusing on policy options that promote: inclusion, increased intensity of broadband use, interoperability, integration of broadband and technology into other programs, and expanded innovation. The report’s hundred plus policy ideas address each of these principles directly.
Inclusion
As more functions in our society move online, the cost of digital exclusion continues to escalate. Conversely, the value associated with any given Internet-enabled service increases as more people or devices access that service. This report includes specific recommendations to bridge the digital divide. Its universal design principles seek to bring access to people with disabilities. The benefits of broadband can potentially reach 40 percent of American adults who currently have inadequate or no access.
Intensity of Broadband Use
While broadband appears to be well integrated in some sectors of our nation’s economy, we’re actually in the beginning stages of broadband adoption as a whole. The potential to further leverage broadband technologies across society and the economy creates unparalleled opportunities to grow our economy and enrich lives.
The report covers a number of policy options designed to increase adoption and use in the areas of economic development, health care, public safety, education, energy and sustainability, and democracy and civic engagement.
Interoperability
While broadband developments to-date are founded on the natural interoperability of Internet Protocol (the method by which data is sent from one computer to another), more application-level interoperability is needed to accelerate development across sectors and constituencies such as in health care and public safety. The report points out where policy and standardization can drive additional deployment and create new, more effective use models.
Integration of Broadband into Everything
Broadband technology and Internet-based applications can no longer be managed and funded in “technology silos” of policy and investment. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is integral to social services, education, health care, safety, civic rights and engagement, and all other sectors of the economy. The report recommends ICT investment and policy be incorporated into other federal and state programs such as housing, social services, education, and health care as integral funded and mission-aligned program components.
Investment
Strategic investments such as those made through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act’s broadband stimulus funding, Universal Service Funds and USDA Rural Health programs are critical to filling gaps in the market in terms of access, adoption and applications.
Innovation
The hallmark of the Internet age has been innovation. While change is necessary to broaden and deepen the impact of broadband across the U.S., changes must also preserve and encourage continued innovation at all levels of the economy and market. A number of recent studies have shown the Internet is the new platform for innovation not only in the U.S. but globally. Consider the number of new applications and devices over the past few years.
Could any of us have accurately predicted this exact kind of innovation would take place? Can we accurately predict the future possibilities that exist? Probably not.
But as the Coalition suggests, we can encourage policies that will “focus not on protecting status quo but in continuing to create a fertile environment for U.S.-based innovation, expansion as well as adoption and use.”
Over 30 industry experts from 25 firms contributed to “Broadband Adoption and Use: Bridging the Divide and Increasing the Intensity of Broadband Use Across All Sectors of the Economy,” In addition to the report co-chairs, Alcatel-Lucent, Net Literacy, Telcordia, Utilities Telecom Council, PC Rebuilders and Recyclers, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, OneCommunity and many others contributed to this report.
Each report section includes a statement on the opportunity, barriers and possible policy options to be implemented at the federal, state or local levels of government. While the report reflects a few areas of contention, there is strong overall agreement that increasing the adoption and use of broadband technology and services is good for America and for Americans.
With the Internet celebrating only its 40th birthday and search functions just over 10 years old, this is still a field in the early stages of growth and value. There is much we can do to create greater inclusion in adoption and to drive for greater value across those sectors where broadband is already in use and this report includes a menu of serious options for consideration.
Future events
The “Broadband Adoption and Use: Bridging the Divide and Increasing the Intensity of Broadband Use Across All Sectors of the Economy” report will be publicly released Nov. 13 and will be showcased in live and webcast events at the FCC Headquarters on the same day at 1 p.m. EST. Please check the Knight Center website for more details, go to www.BB4US.net or contact Karen Archer Perry at kperry@knightcenter.org.
Tags: Alcatel-Lucent, American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009, bandwidth, benton foundation, broadband, Broadband Adoption and Use, Broadband Adoption and Use Working Group, Broadband Expansion, Charles Benton, Communications Workers of America, digital, digital divide, economy, education, FCC, Federal Communications Commission, healthcare, ICT, Information and Communications Technology, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, Interoperability, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Karen Archer Perry, Kenneth Peres, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Link Hoewing, national broadband plan, Net Literacy, network, OneCommunity, PC Rebuilders and Recyclers, public safety, rural communities, stimulus, Telcordia, telemedicine, U.S. Broadband Coalition, underserved, Universal Service Funds, USDA Rural Health, utilities, Utilities Telecom Council, Verizon, Washington D.C.
Posted in Digital news, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, broadband, national broadband plan | No Comments »
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
 By Doug Adams, Knight Center of Digital Excellence
My life is not that different from most men in their early 40s. Weekends are hectic, filled with kids’ games, events and errands – all while never straying too far from “work mode” as I am connected via Blackberry and laptop seven days a week. Was life this crazy for my father when I was young?
My father might not have had three soccer leagues plus football to juggle, or a workday that extended beyond nine-to-five to deal with, but I can manage my responsibilities and take advantage of so many new opportunities thanks to broadband. In many ways, my life is very different from what I envisioned it would be as a kid – or even what I envisioned five years ago. While the substance of my life is much as I would have anticipated, I never imagined being able to watch my beloved Indianapolis Colts via an iPhone application at the same time as my son Jack is scoring a goal at his soccer game. Being a supportive father in 2009 may require more work – but it is also a whole lot easier.
About a year ago, I introduced my son to U2. He loves the music almost as much as I do now, which is great – because what good is having kids if you can’t teach them to like what you like? Unfortunately, the 2009 U2 concert tour did not make it our way, but we watched the Los Angeles show this weekend streaming live via YouTube from start to finish.
Last weekend, I awoke on Saturday to my 4-year-old daughter on a Skype Internet call with her grandma in Connecticut. Zoe, a child of broadband and the numerous educational games available online, had dialed-up grandma on her own. Just an example of how her exposure to the resources on the Web have made her so aware of the present world around her and poised to compete in a future one.
We’re a multiple laptop family – so at the same time Zoe was speaking with Grandma, 9–year-old Abby was playing her favorite online game, which requires her to organize, prioritize and accomplish tasks before being rewarded with the next level. It’s no coincidence we’ve seen these same behaviors manifest in her daily life.
My family is by no means alone in terms of how pervasive broadband has become in our everyday life. Earlier this year, eMarketer reported that consumers, even in this tough economy, are scaling back in other places while keeping their broadband services intact. When asked what they would give up if forced to scale back, Americans ranked broadband way behind digital television and telephone service (both mobile and land lines). More than 66 percent of broadband users said they would keep broadband access at the same level or even scale up.
Tags: bandwidth, Blackberry, broadband, Broadband Expansion, Connecticut, digital, digital divide, digital television, eMarketer, FCC, Federal Communications Commission, high-speed, Indianapolis Colts, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, iPhone, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, laptop, Los Angeles, network, Pew Research Center Internet & American Life Project, Skype, U2, YouTube
Posted in Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Opinion, broadband | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Here’s a sentence you’ve probably seen in a number of recent Knight Center of Digital Excellence articles: “AT&T has publicly stated that real-time gaming is an ‘aspirational service’ and not a core broadband application.”
The statement has been used multiple times as an example the growing debate between service providers and other industries since Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski’s Sept. 21 net neutrality webcast at the Brookings Institution.
Let’s take a closer look at AT&T’s statement, though. Should real-time gaming be considered an “aspirational service” and not a core broadband application? After all, video games are more or less for kids, right?
Not quite. Growing survey data presented in a 2008 Harvard Business School study on video games and broadband revealed the traditional gamer stereotype of the teenage boy is outdated. Consider these recent Entertainment Software Association numbers:
- The average gamer is 35 years old and has been playing for 12 years.
- Forty percent of all gamers are women. Additionally, “women over 18 years of age” is one of the industry’s fastest growing demographics. Adult women represent a greater portion of the game-playing population (34 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent). In addition, 57 percent of online gamers are male and 43 percent are female.
- Twenty-five percent of gamers are over the age of 50, an increase from 9 percent in 1999. This figure is expected to rise in coming years with nursing homes and senior centers across the nation now incorporating video games into their activities.
- Forty-two percent of homes in America have a video game console.
- Thirty-seven percent of heads of households report they play games on wireless devices such as a cell phone or PDA, up from 20 percent in 2002.
The statistics regarding wireless devices are particularly interesting because the FCC is still considering how issues such as net neutrality will affect wireless Internet. Regardless of what the FCC is thinking now, numbers seem to indicate devices that have a strong gaming component are likely to gain the attention of consumers.
The Harvard Business School study demonstrated that innovative devices, ubiquitous broadband access, improved games and increased reach led to U.S. sales of software, hardware and accessories reaching $18.9 billion in 2007, an almost 40 percent growth over 2006 sales. The Nintendo DS, a handheld broadband gaming device, was the top-selling gaming device in 2007 with 8.5 million units sold. Overall, more than 12 million handheld broadband video game devices were sold that year, in addition to 13 million console units that are capable of real-time online gaming.
The application side of online gaming claims a large audience as well. World of Warcraft, an extremely popular online role-playing video game, claimed 11.5 million monthly subscribers in August 2009. Facebook, the popular social media application with over 130 million subscribers, offers a number of “freemium” video games such as “Farmville” and “Mafia Wars” that not only attract millions of players, but also revolve around social networking. Gamesbrief (a video game industry blog) analyst Nicholas Lovell has claimed that many “freemium” games on Facebook make close to $20 per player on average, as players have the option to pay real money for virtual items that enhance play.
Non-video game device manufacturers are paying attention to these numbers. At a recent media gathering, Apple showed off updates to its line of iPods, pointing out there are more than 21,000 game available on the company’s App store for its iPhone and iPod Touch. In an interview with the New York Times, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the company’s customers saw the iPod Touch as a strong gaming platform.
Major gaming device companies such as Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have typically written off Apple as a major threat to their industry status. However, that hasn’t stopped those companies from moving in Apple’s arena as well. Both Sony’s PSP Go and Nintendo’s DSi are relatively new efforts by traditional handheld video game manufacturers to add more broadband-heavy functions to devices.
Could AT&T’s statement be pushback rhetoric from a service provider whose infrastructure can’t support gaming? Is AT&T trying to undermine not only competitors but also an entire platform of innovation that millions of Americans take advantage of on a daily basis?
Possibly. But the point is that while AT&T may want to classify real-time gaming as an “aspirational service,” it seems that device manufacturers, online application creators and American consumers are taking a more serious stance.
Tags: Apple, aspirational service, AT&T, bandwidth, broadband, broadband applications, Broadband Expansion, Brookings Institution, cell phone, digital, digital divide, economy, Entertainment Software Association, Facebook, Farmville, FCC, Federal Communications Commission, Gamesbrief, Harvard Business School, high-speed, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, iPhone, iPhone Touch, Julius Genachowski, KCoDE, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Mafia Wars, Microsoft, network, New York Times, Nicholas Lovell, Nintendo, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, online gaming, PSP Go, real-time gaming, Sony, Steve Jobs, video games, wireless, wireless devices, World of Warcraft
Posted in Digital news, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, broadband | No Comments »
Monday, October 12th, 2009
The Council on Foundations Fall Conference for Community Foundations in San Antonio brought together hundreds of high-profile Community Foundation representatives for a three-day event (Oct. 5-7) to discuss creating transformative change in our nation’s largest cities to its most rural communities. The Council on Foundations is a national nonprofit association of approximately 2,000 grant-making foundations and corporations that strive to increase the effectiveness, stewardship and accountability of its sector while providing members with services and support necessary for success.
Several Knight Center of Digital Excellence connected community success stories were showcased during the conference. Knight Center Community Program Consultant James Farstad featured the accomplishments of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and the Miami Dade Broadband Coalition in a presentation about the challenges and opportunities associated with meeting the information needs in large communities. Farstad spoke about Mayor Diaz’s vision for a 21st-century community and how the Knight Center’s unique approach has helped Miami-Dade accelerate efforts to achieve key broadband goals.
Other breakout sessions showcased innovative Knight Center activities in Akron, Ohio, and Milledgeville, Ga. Akron Deputy Mayor David Lieberth demonstrated his city’s commitment to exemplify strategies to meet the information needs of mid-sized cities, and Jim Wolfgang, Director of the Digital Innovation Group at Georgia College, focused on Milledgeville during his discussion on how small cities can uniquely meet their needs.
The importance of access to information and the new role of individuals as information contributors was stressed throughout the conference, with discussions focusing on how new media, libraries and broadband access are crucial to ensuring a consistent, two-way flow of information within a community.
“Informing Communities: Sustaining democracy in the Digital Age,” a report by The Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy, was introduced, and provided an outstanding perspective on how “information is as vital to the healthy functioning of communities as clean air, safe streets, good schools and public health.”
According to the report, “America needs ‘informed communities,’ places where the information ecology meets people’s personal and civic information needs. This means people have the news and information they need to take advantage of life’s opportunities for themselves and their families. They need information to participate fully in our system of self-government, to stand up and be heard. Driving this vision are the critical democratic values of openness, inclusion, participation, empowerment, and the common pursuit of truth and the public interest.”
Presenters were able to demonstrate how the Knight Center’s efforts in numerous communities across the nation have provided citizens with the new media and broadband technology necessary to maintain open information streams. Attendees were able to see how the Knight Center is demonstrating its ability to accelerate the creation of connected communities by helping them develop strategies and leverage information technologies to drive civic progress and economic development.
Tags: Akron, broadband, Broadband Expansion, community, Council on Foundations, David Lieberth, digital, digital divide, Digital Innovation Group, Fall Conference for Community Foundations, Florida, Georgia, Georgia College, innovation, Internet, James Farstad, Jim Wolfgang, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy, library, Manny Diaz, Miami, Miami Dade Broadband Coalition, Milledgeville, new media, Ohio, rural communities, San Antonio, Texas
Posted in Digital news, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, broadband | No Comments »
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
 We know the numbers – the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) world broadband ranking numbers. The U.S. ranks 20th in the world in terms of adoption (60 percent), according to the latest “Global Broadband Forecast” from Strategy Analytics, a global research and consulting firm.
Needless to say, placing 20th in such a category is not where the U.S. wants to be. Compared with past rankings, it indicates we’re actually falling farther behind instead of catching up to competing nations.
It begs the question: How accurate is that ranking when looked at from a different perspective? According to Thomas Hazlett, a professor of law and economics at George Mason University, it’s not very accurate at all.
Instead of ranking nations based on broadband subscriptions per 100 households, as OECD rankings do, Hazlett looked at broadband availability instead, since availability shifts the attention to household size as a statistical denominator. His research, which included analysis by Federal Communications Commission economist Scott Wallsten, placed the U.S. between eighth and 10th when primarily looking at world broadband availability. However, in addition to household size, Wallsten also compared broadband speed and pricing among nations. When considering all these factors, the U.S. is much more competitive with most other advanced economies than previously thought.
Our nation is competitive despite the fact that many U.S. consumers don’t take advantages of options to obtain ultra-high bandwidth connections because of the added expense. However, thanks to recent technology breakthroughs, cable systems are finding ways to increase bandwidth economically, which may force telecommunications rivals to improve their service speed – and perhaps price – as well. Improvements in those areas could catapult the U.S. into a position as a world broadband leader.
Another number to consider: According to a study sponsored by the Business Software Alliance, the U.S. is ranked No. 1 in the world in the IT industry competitive index. The study considers a nation’s supply of skilled workers, technology infrastructure, intellectual-property protection and a government support of technology that allows market forces to work. Our top ranking is commendable, but we need to commit to infrastructure improvements to stay ahead of other nations that already have more defined broadband strategies in place.
Considering the above information, we look much better now, don’t we? We do, but keep in mind a different look at the numbers also offers this perspective: Just about any nation can look better on paper depending on how the data is manipulated. In short, there’s still plenty of work to do. Just because we change the perspective doesn’t mean we’re completely in the clear. After all, while a case can be made that the U.S. should be ranked much higher when compared with other broadband nations, other studies with solid methodology show we’re right where we should be. But whether you prefer to view the U.S. as ranked eighth, 10th, 15th or 20th, it doesn’t change the fact that our nation still isn’t quite where it wants to be.
Tags: bandwidth, broadband, broadband availability, Broadband Expansion, Business Software Alliance, digital, digital divide, Federal Communications Commission, George Mason University, Global Broadband Forecast, high-speed, infrastructure, Internet, IT, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, network, OECD, Scott Wallsten, Strategy Analytics, Thomas Hazlett, world broadband rankings
Posted in Digital news, broadband | No Comments »
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
 Community broadband isn’t about following a specific business or technical model – it’s about the people who will eventually use the network and be responsible for making it work. It’s also being open to technology and what it can do to further community-specific goals. In short, it’s about the community.
But to be successful, community initiatives need to engage community stakeholders in creating, managing and deriving value from the proposed network. Successful initiatives also require a focus in the following key areas:
Strong leadership with more than one identified champion
Someone needs to step up and take ownership of the program being developed in his/her community. But what kind of leadership works best? What kind of champions should take the reins? The Knight Center of Digital Excellence is a proponent of local leadership. Our Connected Communities Team works collectively with organizations across the nation applying hundreds of combined years of experience serving their local communities. It’s fundamental that any program is rooted in strong local leadership. After all, who better to structure and drive the success of a plan designed to further community-specific goals?
A vision and cause that community can rally around
What do all projects have in common? They require a significant investment in time and money. While these resources can and should be obtained from numerous sources, it’s the community that will provide the biggest push in ultimately making the network sustainable. To have committed community support, there needs to be a vision that proves to the community why the proposed network has value.
| Barriers and obstacles that can kill community broadband |
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The wrong leadership in place, or a single, dominant leader controlling the discussion
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A lack of trust, cooperation and/or neutrality among stakeholders
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Vendor politics, community politics and different business objectives causing “me first” thinking
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The wrong business model in place and/or a faulty business case
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Adoption efforts lacking or narrow-minded
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Lack of sustainable funding and/or one or more major contributors backing out or decreasing funding
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An emphasis placed on planning rather than doing, resulting in failed execution
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A lack of preparation or research of potential issues and red flags resulting in unexpected slowing of events or completely derailing the project
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Technology plan aligned with community plan
This is a development stage process. The technical needs of the project have to match the community’s needs and the applications proposed.
A broad spectrum of engagement and adoption
Engagement and adoption are key to future network sustainability because they integrate applications into the fabric of the community. While the approach depends on the demographics of the community, outreach programs need to be broad-based and include all groups – that means everyone from government agencies to nonprofit organizations and vendors.
Solid buy-in from all stakeholders
It may not seem like it, but it’s a large leap for interested individuals or entities to become stakeholders. Our Connected Communities Team has had tremendous success in developing working groups in multiple communities regarding community broadband initiatives. Working groups offer interested parties get a chance to contribute and have their voices heard, giving them a sense of ownership from the start of the project. They also allow those participating to select the topic that interests them while fostering relationships with other potential stakeholders. In addition, working groups help drive the conversion from interested party to stakeholder. In essence, they create a win-win scenario for stakeholders to see the network as it benefits the whole rather than how it simply benefits their individual organization. Thinking truly changes from a “me” to “we” perspective.
Financial wherewithal
To ensure success, a strong business model needs to be in place that has a clear-cut financial plan and indicates the key investors and other sustainable resources.
Functional, workable governance
Governance can evolve over time to become sustainable and consistent if those involved at the top level ensure solid communication among organizations. Remember, sustainable governance is community-driven.
Tags: Broadband Adoption and Use, Broadband Expansion, business model, community, community broadband, Community Broadband Initiative, community plan, Connected Communities team, digital, digital divide, engagement, governance, government agencies, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, leadership, network, non-profit organizations, rural communities, stakeholder, technology plan, vendors
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Thursday, October 8th, 2009
The Knight Center of Digital Excellence is dedicated to helping Knight communities across the nation develop broadband strategies that meet local challenges and help each other compete and thrive in the new economy. The communities range from large cities such as Miami and Detroit to mid-sized cities such as Akron, Ohio, and small, more rural areas such as Milledgeville, Ga.
Our key learning: Each city is unique in terms of their individual needs, but a sustainable network can be established in each one if our proven and innovative approach to digital transformation – our critical success factors – are met:
Inspiring digital visions: During the first stages of engagement awareness is key. We raise awareness of what COULD be, and what the power of information technologies can mean for the broader community and each key stakeholder group. This happens only by making the benefits of broadband tangible, real and achievable to benefit and transform areas including health care, education, government, digital inclusion, workforce development, economic opportunity and democracy.
Enabling local leadership: Once communities are inspired with a digital vision, local leadership needs to be uncovered, developed and supported. The Knight Center builds champions for each initiative, including stakeholders from multiple contingencies.
Developing sustainable community plans: Leaders of community broadband initiatives need to focus on the communities’ top priorities and interests help to help ensure short and long-term support. The Knight Center assists local leaders SEE the desired results and develop a plan, or “roadmap,” to ACHIEVE success.
Resourcing for launch: Every successful community broadband network needs sustainability strategies based on strong and continued value propositions that capitalize on both the needs and desires in a community and a community’s resources. In addition to plans that appropriately line up resources such as business skills, technical talents, financial and other project related assets, successful community broadband projects will have plans in place for continued investment, technology evolution, application expansion, community adoption and community leadership.
A sustainable network can be established in each community if our proven and innovative approach to digital transformation – our critical success factors – are properly met.
But how do you plan to pay for the network once it’s fully functional?
There’s no such thing as a free ticket – that’s the bottom line. Each connected community needs to have a plan, often developed in concert with Knight Center, that can include funding generated from initiative (self-funding), local private and public institutions, and/or national grant funding.
Cost is just one of the many challenges that need to be addressed at the program’s onset. But remember, all players – from the citizen to the highest government official – have the same basic goal in mind – success.
Tags: Akron, broadband, Broadband Expansion, community, Detroit, digital, digital divide, digital vision, Florida, Georgia, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Miami, Michigan, Milledgeville, network, Ohio, rural communities, stakeholder, sustainable broadband adoption
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