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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 ‘public safety’
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 | 4 Comments »
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
 When we read about a groundbreaking surgical procedure, we picture the surgeon using the scapel, not the hundreds of tests and years of clinical study that guided his incisions. When we watch an exciting football game, we see the elite quarterback dismantling a defense, not the days he spent watching film with a DVD remote in his hand instead of a ball.
We see the success, not the research that drove it.
However, at the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, we view research a little differently than most. Research data has proven itself to be invaluable to our cause of creating connected communities. Solid research serves as the backbone for any successful broadband initiative and ensures we don’t enter a community “blind.”
And it’s not just about collecting as many statistics and facts as possible. Research also includes making determinations on what to research and how to go about it. As the saying goes, there’s a method to the madness. So, how do we go about it? Knight Center Research Analyst Debra Canale took some time to provide detail on a handful of the many valuable tools in our data-gathering arsenal:
Environmental Scans give us a complete overview of a community even before we step into it. They help to answer:
• Who are the major stakeholders and key entities in the community?
• What is the demographic profile of the community?
• What are the economic/labor issues confronting the community?
• What are the major headlines/issues facing the community?
• What is the history of broadband/wi-fi/digital inclusion/technology, etc. initiatives in the community?
• What is the regulatory environment to promote/hinder broadband initiatives?
• What are the “anchor institutions” and key employers of the community?
• Who are the major stakeholders in the community and what kind of projects do they fund? Has the state issued any grants to fund technology/broadband initiatives?
• How does the community stand regarding the three top Knight Center verticals: Education, health care and e-government?
• How does the community stand regarding the six second-tier verticals: Safety and response, economic development, social services, workforce development, journalism and new media, civic engagement and arts and culture?
Broadband Market Profiles help benchmark current broadband coverage for households and institutional users and help identify market gaps and opportunities. They also help to answer:
• What are the broadband options available in a community (number of vendors, speeds, prices, adoption)?
• What are the disparities in broadband availability within the community (based on income, geographic location, etc.)?
• Who are the potential partners, competitors and customers?
Asset Inventories help us determine existing assets within a community that can be leveraged for a broadband infrastructure project by answering:
• What are the existing physical broadband assets within the community?
• What other community assets can be leveraged for a broadband project?
• Are there any regulations/ordinances that impact broadband deployment?
• Has the community received any funding that can be leveraged for a broadband initiative?
According to Canale, the first pass on these reports is based solely on secondary data from open and subscription data bases and other published sources – with phone calls to government offices, schools, libraries and other institutions thrown in for good measure.
Solid research is key to a successful broadband initiative. The first round of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act broadband stimulus program provided numerous opportunities for Knight Communities to pursue platforms for open dialogue, innovation, thought leadership and high-impact access projects. To ensure communities had the best chance to receive stimulus funding, the Knight Center relied on a five-stage research methodology to prove target areas were unserved/underserved as part of the Broadband Initiative Program and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program application directives.
The point: We place serious emphasis on the efforts of Canale and the entire research team. It not only enhances our efforts in the field, but it helps provide communities with an idea on how to ground their broadband projects with data-driven market realities.
Tags: American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009, asset inventories, BIP, broadband, Broadband Initiatives Program, broadband market profile, Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, BTOP, civic engagement, Debra Canale, digital inclusion, DVD, e-government, education, environmental scan, healthcare, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, journalism, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Knight communities, new media, public safety, research, stimulus, utilities, Wi-Fi
Posted in Knight Center of Digital Excellence, broadband | 6 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 | 2 Comments »
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
Today is the launch of National Cyber Security Awareness Month by the U.S. government’s Department of Homeland Security. Fittingly, the theme is “Our Shared Responsibility,” and it’s intended to send a clear message that all computer users bear the responsibility of “cyber hygiene” for the protection of all, including children.
This is a key issue for us at the Knight Center of Digital Excellence. Protecting the assets and information of individuals, businesses, government and others that rely on Internet communications is a critical component of meaningful online access.
As Homeland Security officials suggest, there are simple things we all can to promote safety in cyberspace - not just in the month of October, but year-round.
Some examples:
• Install and regularly update anti-virus software and firewalls.
• Stay current with software updates that protection against intrusion.
• Back up important files on a removable disc or jump drive.
For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Month, visit www.us-cert.gov and www.staysafeonline.org/ncsam.
Tags: anti-virus software, cyber hygiene, Department of Homeland Security, digital, education, firewalls, infrastructure, Internet, jump drive, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, National Cyber Security Awareness Month, network, public safety, software updates
Posted in Digital news | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Thousands of firefighters were still battling several major wildfires in Southern California on Tuesday – just one day in a massive effort to get the fires roaring across 127,000 acres under control. While damage has been extensive, Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Bryant noted in a CNN interview that “there have been hundreds of homes saved by firefighters in this effort.”
Unfortunately though, for every hero in the field, there are numerous victims also dealing with the catastrophe firsthand.
Broadband Internet is helping those on both sides.
As of Aug. 30, Verizon has donated 130 cell phones, 55 mobile broadband cards for Internet access and two high-speed Internet connections to firefighters, first responders and evacuees. Wireless handsets, wireless broadband modems and other devices have also been supplied. The devices are helping those in the field better communicate and coordinate efforts, and giving those dealing with loss a means to communicate with loved ones and notify them of their situation.
With so much manpower devoted to stopping fires that sweep across such a large area, communications – particularly broadband communications – are going to play a key role in allowing emergency personnel to minimize damages and save lives.
Not too many people are aware that about it, but laptops and mobile devices have been standard in emergency vehicles for almost a decade now. Information sent to these devices from a city’s dispatch center may include the address, caller identification, information received from the caller and maps of buildings and surrounding areas.
In California, the Ventura County Fire Department launched a state-of-the-art Fire Communications Center in 2006, which placed a mobile computer and GPS modem in each of the department’s 125 emergency vehicles. This radically changed the way resources were allocated to the scene of an emergency by allowing operators to locate and dispatch vehicles according to their actual proximity to an incident, improving the delivery of fire services and EMS throughout the county.
Firefighters from departments across Ventura County are among more than 2,500 responders battling the “Station Fire” – one of the many wildfires emergency personnel are fighting to contain. Broadband communications are helping them do it.
These facts are just a few of the answers to the big broadband question, “So what?” At the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, wea big part of our job is to help Knight communities understand the value of broadband Internet – to show them how to answer the “so whats” in their efforts to connect.
The ongoing efforts in Southern California highlight the heroism displayed by emergency personnel across our nation every day. We’re also seeing how broadband communications are helping them save lives and restore a little order to the lives of those touched by disaster.
Tags: broadband, Broadband Expansion, community, digital, digital divide, Fire Communications Center, high-speed, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, network, public safety, Southern California, Ventura County Fire Department, Verizon
Posted in Digital news, broadband | No Comments »
Friday, August 7th, 2009
 By Charles Berry, Knight Center of Digital Excellence
As the Aug. 14 stimulus application deadline draws near, here are a few to-do items to include on your checklist.
Don’t forget to register by going to http://www.broadbandusa.gov/register.htm. This is a must, and time is running out. At this government registration site, you’ll be able to:
1. Get a DUNS Number for your organization.
2. Ensure your organization has a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN). (You should know the taxpayer name associated with these numbers.)
3. Register with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). You also must register for a Level 1 eAuthentication ID to enable you to draw the proposed service area for the application.
Monitor BroadbandUSA’s website for FAQs and the latest announcements about funding requirements. You may also ask questions at the workshops hosted by the RUS and NTIA. The vetted answers are the basis of the FAQs.
Subscribe to Broadband Headlines Newsletter, a daily release from the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, to arm yourself with the latest news about broadband and stimulus funding. Subscribe
After covering the basics, you may also be wondering how to make your application stand out in a crowded field. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Show your community is working together to leverage assets toward common goals. Instead of going it alone, develop strong partnerships with anchor institutions in your community. Create a vision for how public/private partnerships can really work.
Pay attention to details and precise specifications in your application. Use concise, persuasive language, and present clear plans and supporting information.
Capture attention with your executive summary. Make sure it conveys the big picture, while flowing logically and matching information detailed in your narrative. At one workshop, a panelist suggested the executive summary be written after the application is complete in order to ensure consistency. Remember, the pieces have to fit together to tell your story.
Describe your methodology for gathering and analyzing data used in substantiating claims of unserved or underserved service areas.
Remember, it’s all about jobs. Focus on impacts to economic development, job creation, education/skill building and public safety.
Clearly say what you propose to do. Describe the applications to be deployed and the benefits to your community. Detail the user training and education programs, along with adoption and communication plans.
Calculate the expected ROI (return on investment) and VOI (value on investment) and explain how the project will become sustainable over time.
On the flip side, here are some things you don’t want your application to convey:
A timeline that doesn’t mesh with requirements for stimulus funding. ARRA projects must be substantially complete in two years and fully completed in three.
Don’t say what you don’t know for sure. Avoid statements or claims about resources, infrastructure or capabilities that might be difficult to substantiate should you be challenged during the due diligence period.
Avoid shortcuts. In particular, proving eligibility based on the unserved/underserved guidelines is very difficult given the lack of information available. But don’t ignore this step. Take your best shot at describing the data that leads you to believe your analysis of the service area is valid.
Finally, here are a few hints to further help you on your way:
Perform the BIP Self-Assessment test and ensure you have assigned individuals/experts who will be responsible for specific sections of the application.
Pay close attention to the Project Description section of the application. This is a three- to four-sentence description (400 characters) that should concisely describe your proposed project. Your answer will be published on Recovery.gov and BroadbandUSA.gov to showcase the types of projects received. Make sure those three to four sentences say exactly what you want to convey to the world as well as to any entities that may challenge your proposal.
Continue to collect data corroborating broadband demand and access after you submit your proposal. The NOFA infrastructure application offers incumbents a 30-day period to contest your proposal by claiming they already cover the unserved or underserved areas you want to cover. Best to compile data even after submitting your proposal, so you’ll be ready for a challenge, should it occur.
If you have questions, consult the proper documents or e-mail us at info@knightcenter.org
Charles Berry serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, based in Akron, Ohio. The center is operated by Cleveland-based technology nonprofit OneCommunity, in partnership with The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and is dedicated to creating connected communities through strategies that utilize information technologies to drive civic progress and economic development. To learn more about the Knight Center, go to www.knightcenter.org or e-mail info@knightcenter.org
Tags: American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009, ARRA, BIP, BIP Self-Assessment test, broadband, Broadband Expansion, Broadband Headlines Newsletter, Broadband Initiatives Program, Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, BroadbandUSA, BTOP, Central Contractor Registration, Charles Berry, community, digital, DUNS number, economy, education, EIN, electricity, healthcare, high-speed, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, KCoDE, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Level 1 eAuthentication ID, methodology, network, NTIA, OneCommunity, Project Description, public safety, ROI, rural communities, RUS, stimulus, stimulus application, stimulus watch, telemedicine, TIN, underserved, unserved, utilities, VOI
Posted in ARRA, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, OneCommunity, Opinion, Stimulus Package, broadband | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
 By Doug Adams, Knight Center of Digital Excellence
With the U.S. investing more than $7 billion in federal stimulus for broadband, imagine what life may be like in just five or 10 short years from now?
What might my life be like, say in 2019? Here is a scenario:
6 a.m.
The alarm goes off, saying I have 27 unread e-mails and 14 articles cued up in my browser ready to read on my Kindle 10.0.
7 a.m.
While driving to work, I listen to Dan Patrick via my in-dash computer’s WiFi connection. WiFi is everywhere now.
8:30 a.m.
My wife calls. She’s worried about her mother, Betty, who lives three states away. Betty’s health monitoring provider tracks her movement patterns. Today, the Web-enabled video monitor showed Betty hadn’t made it to the kitchen by the time she usually does. Given she’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, a nurse from the monitoring provider looks in and finds her on camera in the study.
9:30 a.m.
I check back with my wife – she has just renewed her driver’s license and made her home business into an LLC. With government services online, she does this via our TV and ultra high-speed fiber optic Internet connection. I’m so glad we have a fiber connection to our home – it’s similar to the change we experienced when we went from dial-up to my old cable modem. Only with this upgrade have I been able to utilize the Internet for rich, two-way video communications with my doctor, work colleagues and friends.
10:45 a.m.
I check in on my daughter at school via webcam. She’s in biology class, and students are watching a live heart surgery in progress at the world-class Cleveland Clinic Foundation. They can see, hear and interact with doctors.
Another class is also watching the surgery – from India. It’s a class my daughter’s interacts with frequently. The same broadband application that allows students to watch live surgeries also allows them to engage with other students from across the world, bridging national and cultural differences.
Noon
Lunch with my college roommate, Bob. He’s an engineer for a California company, but works from home in Indianapolis. His fiber optic Internet connection allows him to send 3-D virtual mockups to his boss. At lunch, we check the stock market and box scores from the touch screen computer imbedded in our table.
We’re briefly distracted as a pair of officers having lunch in a booth behind us rush outside to confront an individual with a warrant out for his arrest. How do I know? Police are equipped with mobile computer systems and handheld devices that provide up-to-date information on suspects and threats. Using one of these handheld devices, one of the officers was able to make a positive ID and alert his partner before his lunch arrived.
3 p.m.
A problem crops up at work. Defective materials were delivered to a construction site in Texas. Our team utilizes visual feeds to inspect the materials and send images of the problem pieces to the manufacturer.
4:30 p.m.
I haven’t been feeling well, so I check in with my doctor from my desk. I open my mouth, say “ah,” and the diagnosis is strep. An e-prescription goes out to my pharmacy.
I know my wife likes to keep the temperature in our house a little cooler, but I’m not sure that’d be a good environment for me to come home to given my illness. Fortunately, I’m able to monitor and adjust my home’s utility services remotely. I decide to raise the thermostat a few degrees. Hope she doesn’t notice.
6 p.m.
Working too late to make my son’s soccer game, so I watch from my desk. Not only is high-speed, high-capacity WiFi everywhere, but so are webcams. They are completely secure and password-protected.
9 p.m.
The last thing I remember is driving, tired, on the back roads close to home. I’m thankful public safety monitors alerted safety forces when my car veered off the road. The paramedics told me they video-conferenced with emergency room doctors less than 10 minutes after the accident. The operating room and specialist I needed were onsite when I arrived.
The world I’m describing is not science fiction. All these “future” applications are available today, mostly overseas. They save lives, improve quality of life, create job opportunities and prepare citizens to be productive members of the knowledge economy.
The vision we really need as Americans? To see the future is here, we’re a good 10 years behind and we have no time to waste investing in the broadband infrastructure necessary to catch up.
Doug Adams oversees public information efforts for the Cleveland-based technology nonprofit OneCommunity, which operates the Knight Center of Digital Excellence in partnership with The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. To learn more about the Knight Center, go to www.knightcenter.org or e-mail info@knightcenter.org.
Tags: Akron, American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009, bandwidth, broadband, Broadband Expansion, California, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, community, Dan Patrick, digital, digital divide, Doug Adams, economy, education, healthcare, high-speed, India, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, KCoDE, Kindle, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, network, Ohio, OneCommunity, public safety, stimulus, stimulus watch, telemedicine, utilities, WiFi
Posted in Knight Center of Digital Excellence, OneCommunity, Opinion, Stimulus Package | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
Those of us who have Internet access already know what to do with it. We e-mail. We shop. We search for jobs and information.
But what about the roughly one-third of Americans who don’t have Internet service, and may not have a clue what they’d do with it if they did? The more than $7 billion in federal stimulus money for broadband networks is meant to serve this group.
But what will currently unserved Americans do with all this broadband?
Let’s take the example of Akron, Ohio, where the city, The University of Akron and the Knight Center of Digital Excellence are leading an effort to develop a 12-mile wireless network, the first stretch of which will be up and running in June. Those within the network will have free Internet access.
Knight Center team members are meeting now with various civic leaders, to discuss possibilities of how this broadband network can make a difference.
As we meet with people, ideas start rolling.
Job training could be enhanced, for example, so that current programs are reinforced with practice work online. After-school programs also could be expanded to serve more children through digital classrooms. And even soup kitchens might serve as a place where people can access the Internet.
What if each soup kitchen put up a kiosk, so those who come for meals might also check e-mail, maybe to see if that job interview came through? It will be a long time before everyone has a computer at home. This would give a largely unserved population another point of Internet access, in addition to the public library system and community learning centers being placed in Akron Public Schools.
These are just a few examples of the multiple layers of potential impact. Sure, there are some who will never use the Internet, even if they had it for free. But even these people may need access for health and safety reasons.
Your mother might be among those who wouldn’t use the Internet for any reason. But you’d still want your mother to have access. In an emergency, if she needed an ambulance, you’d want rescue workers to have quick online access to medical information about her.
Or, take a family with no computer in the home. If social workers were called to that home because of suspected child abuse, you’d want them to be able to check online immediately to see if there is a pattern of violence in that home.
We should look at broadband as the new utility service. It impacts how effectively we can participate in the economy, our chances of getting a job, our ability to acquire new skills, and even our health and safety.
America can’t have a third of its population disconnected - and disenfranchised - as a result of no Internet access. The haves and have-nots will be further delineated at a time when we should be narrowing gaps, not widening them.
The question is not, “What will we do with all this broadband?” but “What will we do without it?”
Tags: Akron, American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009, bandwidth, broadband, Broadband Expansion, community, digital, digital divide, economy, education, electricity, fiber-to-the-home, healthcare, high-speed, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, KCoDE, Knight Center, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, network, Ohio, OneCommunity, public safety, stimulus, stimulus watch, telemedicine, unserved Americans, utilities
Posted in Knight Center of Digital Excellence, OneCommunity, Opinion, Stimulus Package | 8 Comments »
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
As with any large-scale community project, establishing a broadband network requires a significant investment of time and resources. While the benefits are enormous, the road traveled to realize them doesn’t come without its caveats and pitfalls.
The Knight Center of Digital Excellence travels this road alongside a number of communities every day, steering them in the direction necessary to achieve the success they seek. We’ve been in the trenches. We know what works and what doesn’t.
We also know that no community is exactly the same. But no matter how different, there is a similar path all can travel to ensure they realize the full potential a broadband network brings.
Below is a list of principles communities should keep in mind as they take steps towards broadband expansion:
Clear vision
Communities should develop a clear vision regarding the scope, purpose and measurements of success for a proposed broadband network.
Broad coalition
Creating a broad coalition of community stakeholders will allow a community to uncover opportunities to create a value through cost savings and applications designed to affect positive change.
Sustainable business model
In order to assure both short- and long-term viability, a community’s business model must be self-sustaining.
Broadband for the purpose of what?
Implementing a network to provide broadband connectivity is not enough. Communities must focus on value-added applications that this connectivity will make possible.
Utilize existing assets
Draw on competencies of stakeholders and vendor partners. Each may have important skills and experience that can be leveraged to minimize risk.
In addition, communities should look to take advantage of existing physical infrastructure, such as technology currently in use at universities.
Pilot programs
It’s important for communities to plan out concepts and validate a technical design by employing pilot projects to showcase selected broadband applications.
Effective communications
An effective communications plan should be designed to maximize awareness and create a high level of community engagement. For communications to be truly effective, the plan should be far-reaching, with the intent to involve everyone in the community.
Wide range of funding opportunities
The investment required to implement broadband connectivity and applications can draw upon a wide range of potential funding streams. These sources are available for infrastructure as well as numerous potential community applications, such as healthcare, education, public safety, intelligent traffic management, Smart Grid technology, workforce development, digital inclusion and e-government.
Don’t overlook “funding” that can be created by leveraging stakeholder cost savings.
Connections to other networks
Communities shouldn’t put geographic limits on connectivity. They should look for opportunities to connect to regional, state and national networks.
Networks become more valuable as outside connectivity increases. Consider social network websites such as Facebook or LinkedIn as examples. Which of these sites proves most valuable to users? Those that offer as many connections as possible. A social network of 10 users is nowhere near as strong as one with 30 million.
The more connected your network is, the more valuable it is in the long term.
Community benefits agreement
Develop a clear understanding of community benefits that can be created as a result of a broadband network. Look for opportunities to create ongoing sources of funding and support for broadband adoption, digital literacy and local relevant content programs; community technology centers; and free broadband zones that can deliver meaningful benefits to the widest possible constituency.
Look at the Minneapolis Civic Garden, a free community portal that links residents to useful, public sector information as an example. Many of the website’s users have access to reflect city, county and state resources.
Plans are in progress to include multi-lingual content that would better serve the city’s diverse ethnic population. Right now, the Civic Garden is beginning to link to websites published in Hmong, Spanish and Somali.
The decision to establish a broadband network is a big one for any community. But that doesn’t mean it has to be overwhelming. Sticking to these principles will help your community achieve its goals.
We’re can help your community stay on track and realize those goals. If your community needs help, be sure to contact us at
info@knightcenter.org.
Tags: bandwidth, broadband, Broadband Expansion, business model, coalition, community, digital, digital divide, economy, education, electricity, healthcare, high-speed, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, KCoDE, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Minneapolis Civic Garden, network, OneCommunity, public safety, vision
Posted in Digital news, Knight Center of Digital Excellence | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
If you go to www.connectakron.org, you’ll see how Akron, Ohio can be a model for rolling out broadband networks in your community. After all, once you have broadband, your community will need to know about it, and understand what will be possible as a result. This type of website can be your solution to informing your community, which can then be the first step toward adoption of new uses.
By following the new ConnectAkron website, you’ll be able to see how broadband usages develop in one pilot city. The site will showcase ways that average people, and local businesses, do things differently as a result of broadband. A good way to follow Akron’s progress is to sign up to receive updates from a blog at www.connectakron.org/connect-blog.
For Akron, the launch of this blog and website is big.
After two years of planning, the city of Akron, in partnership with OneCommunity (the operator of the Knight Center of Digital Excellence), is now building out a wireless network that will serve between 80,000 and 90,000 Akron residents and over 30,000 downtown workers.
The infrastructure is only the foundation. New opportunities – including jobs and economic development – will come by putting the new network to use.
Some examples of possibilities:
Local arts and cultural organizations will suddenly have higher capabilities in reaching world audiences. A virtual tour of Akron’s acclaimed art museum? No reason why not.
Or what if Akronites wanted to “sit” in on classes at the University of Akron, but do it from their home computers? That will be possible, too.
How about an instant Internet pipeline to safety forces?
Entrepreneurs will have the ability to connect to the Internet at a price a startup can afford.
The city will be able to make enhancements to their public safety efforts.
You get the idea.
The coverage area will include the University of Akron, museums, all three downtown hospitals and neighborhoods in North Hill, East Akron and Highland Square, and may require the purchase of a wireless router/signal booster to achieve maximum signal strength.
Our Knight Center team will spend a lot of time in Akron, to help develop a model for how broadband can transform a community in ways that matter – in terms of jobs, education, healthcare, safety and quality of life.
Visit www.connectakron.org for updates, and see what your community can do as well.
Tags: Akron, Akron Art Museum, arts and culture, bandwidth, blog, broadband, Broadband Expansion, broadband network, community, ConnectAkron, digital, East Akron, economy, education, Highland Square, infrastructure, innovation, Internet, KCoDE, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, North Hill, Ohio, OneCommunity, public safety, University of Akron, utilities, website, wireless router
Posted in Digital news, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, OneCommunity | No Comments »
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