Podcasts about broadband strategy

The vision for Uganda‟s Broadband Strategy is a transformed middle income economy driven by affordable high quality broadband connectivity.The overall objective of the strategy is to facilitate uptake of broadband for socio-economic transformation of the country. It defines the minimum throughput requirements for high speed transmission and access for voice, data and video to homes and businesses in Uganda.

A big majority of the hundreds of citywide and partial-reach broadband networks are celebrated successes by their stakeholders, businesses and residential subscribers, disproving critics who wrongly claim all public-owned networks are failures. Interviews live from the Kansas City Gigabit Summit reveal what it means to have a winning community broadband network. Delegates from eight of the communities sharing their success stories with Summit attendees join us to give listeners insights to setting and meeting broadband goals. It is important to understand that, unlike private service providers, "return on investment" (ROI) is very different for communities focused on using broadband to improve economic development, transform healthcare delivery and otherwise serve the public good.  Guests, including those representing Winthrop, MN, Chattanooga and Jackson, TN, Monmouth, OR and Salisbury, NC, also discuss how they funded their networks, and offer advice for meeting the money challenge as opportunities and financing options evolve. One of the several strengths public entities have over private companies is the ability to repay debt over 20 or 25 years rather than being driven to meet stockholder needs for quick returns.     The Gigabit Summit is a national gathering of cities with broadband networks that are educating, helping and encouraging cities just beginning their broadband journeys. Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri are the proud hosts and gigabit showcase cities kicking off 2015 with the first big broadband educational conference of the year.      

63% of participants in a national survey have seen communities use broadband to harness home-based businesses into a economic engine, or believe strongly that communities can do this. Gigabit Nation goes to Kansas City to spotlight this dynamic at work.  Kansas City Startup Village (KCSV) participants give listeners first-hand details on how a booming entrepreneurial movement has taken root and is expanding thanks to Google Fiber. They offer valuable lessons to other communities that want to do likewise. Today's guests are: *  Adam Arredondo and Matthew Marcus, co-founders of Local Ruckus and KCSV Co-Leaders; *  Mike Demarais, Co-Founder, Handprint *  Ben Barreth, founder of the Homes for Hackers program *  Brittain Kovac, staff member of startup Leap2 and Event Manager for KCSV; and *  Jonny Kot, community leader and founder of Tech-Pointer. Our guests have complementary and contrasting viewpoints on: *  the role of Google Fiber in driving entrepreneurship in Kansas City *  how communities can encourage and support startups *  sustaining and expanding entrepreneur support programs. Listeners can download a copy of the survey analysis report that addresses the increase of home-based businesses and other economic outcomes broadband influences.

The Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB) Annual Conference has become a yearly confab that draws many of the key players in broadband stimulus-funded projects. Our listeners hear from four of those who give us highlights of how far we've come since these projects launched: 2:00  Maria Alvarez Stroud - Director, Center for Community Technology Services, University of Wisconsin - Extension 2:15  Kevin Hughes - VP Sales & Marketing, Virgin Islands Next Generation Network 2:30  Tara Thue - Manager, Utah Broadband Project 2:45  Jane Patterson - President, Rural Telecom Congress America We get some of the inside details on several high-profile broadband deployment and adoption initiatives made possible by NTIA and RUS grant awards. Our guests discuss what they have found to be effective making better broadband and adoption a reality. They also talk about what's next for their projects.  

Want to see local economies grow nationwide? Get the giant telecom and cable companies out of the way! David Cay Johnston, nationally acclaimed investigative journalist and author of THE FINE PRINT, lays out in stark detail how communities’ economic development is crippled by incumbents’ obstruction and anti-competitive practices. He also discusses how communities, small telephone companies, local providers and WISPs can fight back. Mr. Johnston is well known for shining a bright light on monopoly conditions in broadband and other industries that constantly rip off consumers. He explains for listeners the latest state legislative (and FCC) efforts that AT&T and other big incumbents are waging to get released from their responsibility to serve rural areas. He offers steps to counter this new twist on shortchanging those communities.

Though it requires dedicated effort to track and report on the economic impact of community broadband networks, there are plenty of ways in which these networks directly and indirectly produce economic benefits for constituents. Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU) in Iowa has been providing broadband services since 1996, and shares with listeners some great insights to using the technology as an economic engine.    CFU’s Internet services impacts their local economy in several ways, including being a key contributor to CFU’s transfer of more than $1.6 million annually to the City's general fund, which reduces local property taxes. Betty Zeman, Marketing Manager for CFU, and Network Manager Rob Houlihan describe some of their many successes, and offer some tactics for measuring these successes. This year CFU completes the rebuild of its fiber network infrastructure, as well as extends their service to about 90 square miles of rural land outside the Cedar Falls city limits where the utility provides electric service. CFU recently announced that they have increased customer Internet access speeds across the board, but with no increase in price.

It an stunning example of ALEC-orchestrated legislative obstruction, North Carolina communities were shackled by the misguided and misnamed "Level Playing Field" law, hobbling their drive to bring true highspeed broadband to constituents. The key to unlock the cuffs? The creative use of free-market strategy to flip the script by Raleigh and other cities, the Gig.U team, and several NC colleges . Raleigh CIO Gail Roper offers communities everywhere tips to counter anti-competition state laws and incumbent shenanigans. Raleigh and nearby cities are leveraging existing fiber, stakeholder demand and Gig.U partners to secure private providers that will give communities gig services at affordable prices.   Ms. Roper explains why communities must push hard for legislation that supports true infrastructure strategies to enable economic development in NC and elsewhere. She also provides listeners with insights to the city's plans to aggressively attack the digital divide, boost the local economy, increase digital literacy and deliver other key benefits.  

Are ROW issues crippling broadband? We, the people, own over 4 million miles of right of way (ROW) - every street in America plus 10 feet on each side. ROWs exist so essential services such as roads, utilities - and telecom services are used by and available to everyone. But is this true when it comes to broadband? According to today's guest, Rita Stull, "the telecom industry spends tens of millions of dollars annually lobbying to retain free use of rights-of-way land. And the cable industry has spent 30 years lobbying federal and state legislatures to void franchises and eliminate as many payments for using community-owned ROW as possible. Stull explains why addressing these ROW issues are key to the future of community broadband. Listeners learn why every effort to acquire better broadband must start with an analysis of who "owns" vs controls the local ROW. They also get tips for monitoring activities in the state legislature than can impact ROW.  Ms. Stull designs telecom plans for local governments, and has 29 years of public sector experience including integrating telecom within municipal operating and economic development departments.

The FCC is one of the most pivotal federal agency in terms of implementing national policies and funding programs that impact broadband deployments and adoption. But do communities maximize the potential to influence these policies and programs, or are the challenges too great? Sharon Gillett knows FCC procedures from the inside out, and shares this valuable expertise to help listeners develop strategies for navigating the challenges. As the former Chief of the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau, she herded major agency reforms through DC.'s political and bureaucratic mazes. This interview summarizes: some of the FCC major activities affecting broadband that communities can participate in and/or influence; the typical process for moving from policy ideas to actual programs; how to work the public comment period; and ways in which communities and small or regional ISPs and telcos may partner to influence the FCC policy and programs. For more FCC-related commentary, check out this writeup of my conversation Monday with FCC Chairman Genachowski.

Before you know it, Tennessee is going to become a 1-gig state, as Bristol becomes its latest town to begin offering 1 Gbps service to residents and businesses. Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES) is a municipal-owned utility that has been doing broadband right since 1998. BTES CEO Dr. Michael Browder describes the utility's long history of using fiber to serve customers, initially by linking its substations to the main office, and most recently through its powerful upgrade of broadband services. Dr. Browder reveals a few of BTES' secrets in staying ahead of the technology curve as well as their bigger competitors.  Listeners also learn some valuable tips on planning, marketing and producing significant benefits for BTES' various constituencies. Communities laying out their 2013 broadband plans definitely want to tune in for this interview.

In community broadband planning, you can't always get what you want. But if you are flexible sometimes, you just might find you get what you need. With apologies to the Rolling Stones, this pretty much sums up recent events in Sibley County, MN. Winthrop, MN city administrator Mark Erickson provides some insights on Sibley's roller coaster ride to broadband, and how to keep stakeholders focused so they can quickly transform challenges into new and better opportunities. Originally, Sibley was going to be part of a major two-county fiber project. Things changed, the county opted out of the relationship, farmers switched tack to form their own fiber co-op and now they continue to press forward with broadband. This update from Erickson and our analysis of Sibley's efforts is helpful for all broadband stakeholders who experience the many trials and triumphs of herding cats into the digital future.

The Mississippi Delta region of the U.S. represents some of the biggest opportunities and challenges for broadband adoption. Needs here are great, but meeting those needs through broadband technologies will lead to a renaissance in the area. Chris Masingill, Chairman of the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), joins us in this broadcast coming from Memphis, TN to discuss the progress DRA's eight member states are making with broadband. He highlights key improvements in job creation, education, business development and other key areas.  Pick up some valuable insights to help with your projects. This show also preps listeners for the Delta Regional Authority Broadband Summit on Tuesday (10/23) where host Craig Settles is leading two panels. You can catch it live on the Web too - http://www.livestream.com/connectartv.

Broadband and economic development is not just a rural issue. Though it may seem that urban areas have plenty of broadband, many do not have affordable speeds that also are sufficient for attracting new companies, increasing home-based businesses or helping individuals advance financially. Ron Deus, CEO of regional WISP NetX, is delivering a gig service to businesses in Cleveland's low income communities and helping turn them around. He explains how his business got started and what strategies have made it possible to have an economic impact. NetX also provides services to areas around Cleveland. The depth of the broadband needs in parts of urban America often go unreported or understated. This show sheds some light on how these communities can get better broadband despite this.   

Word of the Tacoma public-owned network's demise is not only exaggerated, it is a blatant lie told by CenturyLink minions to try to steal Click! customers. Click! is 15 years old and increasing both its power and reach.  Click! General Manager Tenzin Gyaltsen and Government Relations Manager Diane Lachel join us to explain how to make your community network financially sustainable for the long haul. And how to survive big competitors' dirty tricks. The Click! open access architecture enticed three providers to compete to bring customers affordable, fast broadband. Continuing the success story, Click! recently announced new 100 Mbps service. Listeners learn many valuable and practical tips for replicating Click!'s success.     

It's back to school time once again. Time to pick up some pens, pencils, notebooks and...broadband? Students in four Georgia counties probably can't wait to get back to school this Fall because they're going to have some of the fastest broadband speeds in the world, thanks to the broadband stimulus program. North Georgia Network (NGN), a nonprofit formed by five counties and two electric co-ops,has completed the 260-mile core ring of a network funded via a Dept. of Commerce BTOP grant. NGN Executive Director Bruce Abraham is our guest. He gives listeners an overview of the network's success so far, who's being served currently and tips on what communities need to do to ensure the success of regional broadband projects.      

Since over $240 million has been raised for projects using Kickstarter, it is logical to believe that community broadband advocates can use crowdfunding successfully to raise money for network projects. Today's guest is Jase Wilson, founder of the civic crowdfunding platform Neighbor.ly, whose motto is "Invest in places and civic projects you care about." Wilson discusses the in's and out's of capitalizing on what he calls "ordinary fundraising supercharged by the Internet" to support broadband projects.  We explore how crowdfunding can underwrite needs assessment and planing, build pilot projects, support broadband adoption and ultimately fund infrastructure buildouts. With the right mix of creative and hard working constituents, this strategy is a viable pathway to broadband success.   

This is the re-scheduled interview: "Hey, were you born in a barn?" "No, but our broadband was and it kicks butt!" That's B-4-R-N, thank you. Broadband for the Rural North. They have a story to tell, and every community whose broadband and broadband options suck needs to listen to every word. Their broadband project is so effective B4RN just won the Internet Hero award from the Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA). Eight parishes in the northwest of England united to form a co-op to do what the large incumbent won't. Chris Conder, one of B4RN's key founders, explains how to replicate their success. B4RN issued stock and sold enough shares to underwrite the initial network buildout. Local farmers literary dig the trenches and place the fiber on their properties. B4RN is selling sponsorships ads on the conduit going into the ground. Local residents run the business and provide B4RN with necessary services. Once you hear B4RN's story, you realize that any community that wants broadband enough to work many long days and lonely nights can be Internet heroes too.

Super WiFi (a.k.a. TV white spaces) promises to re-purpose idle TV channels so they can be used to build more powerful and less expensive WiFi networks than with previous versions of WiFi. Wilmington, NC is the first US city to put this WiFi-on-steroids to work. Leslie Chaney, Chief Technologist for New Hanover County, describes the progress Wilmington has made to date with this government-use only network. Lessons learned here can be exported to other communities to help them build networks that serve constituents as well as government. GigaOm Senior Writer Stacey Higginbotham joins Craig Settles today as guest co-host. To get more background on Super WiFi, listen to this Gigabit Nation interview with AIR.U, a consortium that's bringing colleges, small towns and other parties together to create Super WiFi networks to cover rural areas.   

Your community could be sitting on a broadband funding gold mine and not even know it! San Leandro, CA-based software company OSIsoft stepped into the breach to build a fiber network for their hometown. OSIsoft CEO Pat Kennedy explains that underwriting the network is a combination of giving back to the community that has been very good to him, and good business sense. He describes the thinking that led to their action, how they are proceeding and the benefits to San Leandro as well as the communities around them. The company is not alone. Corning, for example, contributed $12 million to build a network for the three-county New York area where they are based. Your community likely has businesses willing to make a similar investment. Learn how to make this tactic work for you.

This episode of Gigabit Nation tackles a few big misconceptions about broadband that are holding communities back. One is that you can't sell services at an inexpensive rate. Another myth, which may have needlessly killed a project in Palo Alto, CA is that user-financed broadband networks fail. There are several user-financed success stories. John Brown, President, CTO, Co-Founder at CityLink Fiber Holdings, Inc, lays bare these and other myths. How many times do we hear the people don't need 100 Mbps or a gig to the home? All government involvement with broadband is bad, all private sector involvement is good. Or is it? Let's cut to the chase. Tune in and bring your questions with  you. It's time for another show to separate fact from fiction and hype from reality.  

Consider Gainesville, FL an epicenter of innovation that drives economic development. Gig.U is helping raise their innovation to a new level. Learn how to develop a similar epicenter in your community. Ted Kellermann, Director of GRU.com (Gainesville's public utility's gig network) and David Pokorney, Director of the University of Florida's Network Services describe how the city's Innovation Square benefits from its Gig.U partnership. Stakeholders will begin developing apps soon that transform business, healthcare delivery and education. Today's guests answer important questions and offer valuable practical advice you can start putting to work right away. We invite you to call in and join the conversation.                         

Faced with too many people paying too much for too little broadband, the Australian government decided the infrastructure was too important to the public to be left vulnerable to market forces alone. So they are building a national broadband network (NBN) for which private-sector profit and the public good are equal objectives.   Australia's NBN champion and senior cabinet leader Senator Stephen Conroy is our guest, discussing their network's origins, progress to date and lessons learned. There is much to be learned from Senator Conroy. He frequently advocates for an affordable broadband infrastructure consistent with his nation's culture of "The Fair Go."  Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to get ahead and to get on with the business of being a fully productive member of their community. Nonprofits, community foundations and public private partnerships are increasingly core tactics for communities determined to get better broadband for local businesses and residents. Senator Conroy offers good insights to making these particular efforts winners while overcoming political opposition.

This story of broadband-driven economic development is inspiring. Around 2003, Danville, VA faced pretty bleak economic conditions, including huge unemployment. As tobacco farming died out in the state, towns were shrinking dramatically with the withering employment opportunities. Danville’s public utility turned to broadband to help relieve the crisis. Starting by connecting municipal and utility buildings and the K-12 schools, Danville Utilities in 2006 began services to local businesses. Today the network passes 1000 business locations including five business parks, and it’s the cornerstone for improving the local workforce by helping K-12 students and adults become digitally literate. Former Danville Mayor Linwood Wright joins us to discuss the various steps they took to implement changes and activities that improved the competitiveness of current businesses and drew new organizations into the area with new jobs. Among their successes is a transformation of local healthcare delivery that is a big draw for businesses re-locating. Listen and learn.   

Today, President Obama issues an Executive Order to significantly streamline the deployment of conduit, a key element of broadband infrastructure. This is expected to reduce 90% of the cost of putting fiber in the ground.  The White House also is launching USD Ignite, a major public-private-nonprofit partnership dedicated to accelerating broadband application development, and increasing the number of applications across the US.  Several of the movers and shakers within the US Ignite effort join us to put both actions into context. How will communities benefit? What resources or investments should communities expect from the program? What kinds of broadband apps does US Ignite hope their contests and cash prizes will produce?  Tune in for answers to these and other questions. My guests are: 2:00 EST - Joe Kochan, Co-Founder, US Ignite 2:10 - Tom Kalil, Deputy Director for Policy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy  2:20 - Jed Marston, VP Marketing & Communications, Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce 2:30 - Gary Evans, CEO Hiawatha Broadband 2:40 - Will Barkis, Gigabit Evangelist, Mozilla

$7 billion later it's a good time to ask, are we going to see world-stopping innovation? After all, innovation is one of the cool byproducts all of these investments in broadband are supposed to produce. Explore what innovation means when communities have highspeed Internet access, particularly when they own the resource. Inntelligent Community Forum Co-Founder Robert Bell gives listeners a national and international perspective of what we can realistically expect broadband to deliver. More importantly, *how* do we produce great innovation? Is it the speed of the broadband pipe? Is innovation dependent on other technologies integrated with broadband? Does the community shape innovation, or do you create a certain type of environment and innovation is sure to follow? These and other important questions help you shape your broadband plan.  

NOTE: The audio glitch you hear is with the host only. Our guest's audio is perfectly clear. Is the goal of broadband adoption getting more people to use the technology, or getting them to use it more effectively? Today we try to answer this question. Philadelphia faces a daunting challenge. 41% of the city's 1.5 million residents lack regular Internet access or basic computer skills. To battle this problem, the city formed the Freedom Rings Partnership, a coalition of grassroots organizations, government, and universities bringing Internet access, training and technology to communities citywide. Learn valuable lessons to drive broadband adoption in your communities. Join our guest, Arun Prabhakaran, Dir. of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives for the Urban Affairs Coalition. He describes how the organization is maximizing their $25 million NTIA broadband stimulus grant for an array of projects that are preparing residents for a 21st Century digital economy.

From the private sector perspective, what does the upcoming year hold for broadband developments in the U.S.? The Fiber to the Home Council and its members have been a strong driving force for broadband deployment since the organization's launch in 2001. What can we expect with their new president coming on board?   Heather Burnett Gold takes over the reigns at the FTTH Council after a seven-year stint as a senior vice president of XO Communications. She explains to listeners the direction she anticipates the industry to take, plus options and opportunities for public private partnerships.    The FTTH Council consisting of companies and organizations that are involved in planning and building FTTH networks to deliver video, Internet and/or voice services over high-bandwidth fiber optic connections. 

Broadband adoption is key to the financial and overall success of your broadband network. How effectively you drive adoption depends on how well you understand subscribers and prospects determines.   Alcatel-Lucent conducted in-depth qualitative and extensive quantitative research reaching 5,000 consumers to develop a series of portraits of how connectivity impacts people in different age groups. Understanding how the different groups think and act online gives you clues on how to effectively market broadband services, and who to partner with to add value to your network.    Allison Cerra, Alcatel-Lucent's Chief Marketing Officer, discusses some of the key research data points and what they mean to those marketing broadband networks and services. She also talks about her latest book, “Identity Shift: Where Identity Meets Technology in the Networked-Community Age.”

More than 7.6 million North American homes now receive their Internet, video and/or voice services over end-to-end fiber networks, according to a report commissioned by the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council. This is an increase of 1.15 million FTTH households over the past year. But what does it all mean?   Michael Render President, RVA LLC, oversees national research for his client, Fiber-to-the-Home Council. On today's show he gives our audience a look behind the numbers to put advances in fiber network adoption rates in perspective.   Besides the numbers, we also get to see what factors are influencing these increases: product features, marketing, the competitive landscape.

While mayors in other cities jumped in shark tanks or ice cold lakes, Kansas City, KS Mayor Joe Reardon focused on presenting his city as the best business partner for Google's Gigabit City project. And it worked!   Mayor Reardon provides insights for communities that want to attract strong partners in the pursuit of broadband. Forming effective public private partnerships is more than gimmicks, it takes detailed planning, effective marketing and spot-on execution.   Maximizing partnerships is an on-going effort that requires constituents' participation to be successful. "We continue to speak to our public and engage in a collaborative way with businesses and institutional partners to fully realize the potential of gigabit speeds." Join us for more words of wisdom from Mayor Reardon.

Get a glimpse of the future from one man who's seen it all. Om Malik is almost an institution within the tech world and beyond. His 15 years experience as a journalist, editor and what some would describe as technology soothsayer makes him a widely recognized thought leader.   Om and Gigabit Nation host Craig Settles discuss some of the many high points from GigaOm's RoadMap conference, Connectivity Changes Everything. Topics covered include:   Broadband, the media and the people Creativity, connectivity and capital Real-time medicine Ripping out the pages from the publishing playbook   Don't miss this opportunity to learn a little more about where broadband is taking us.

The battle in Longmont for its citizens and businesses to take back their right to make their own best broadband decisions was about more than good campaigning. It was about a community making itself aware of its broadband needs, educating each other about technology options and standing strong in their resistence to industry scare tactics.   Tom Roiniotis, Director of Longmont Power & Communication (the city's municipal electric and telecommunications utility), joins us to disccuss how the city used the loss in 2009 of a similar ballot measure to prep the city for Round II. Despite being outspent 60 to 1, Longmont citizens had a game plan and they stuck to it.   Now the hard part starts - turning their broadband vision into reality. Pick up valuable tips on how you can fight the odds in your state to make broadband a reality.

Seems like everywhere you turn, someone wants to throw money at you if you have a great broadband app that takes advantage of gigabit networks. Are you going to step up for a chance for mo' money, mo' money, mo' money?   John Wilson, Co-founder and former president of flexible display maker NanoLumens, Inc., and coordinator of Chattanooga's Gig Prize, gives the lowdown on the city's latest entry in the programming-for-dollars sweepstakes movement. We'll compare and contrast this contest with Kansas City's Gigabit Challenge that we talked about on the show two weeks ago.   Chattanooga's [up to] $350,000 Gig Prize contest (made possible in part by a grant from Alcatel-Lucent) is open to anyone in the world with great ideas. It's focused on creating apps using a gig network that's already operating and serving as the test bed. Particpants therefore get real world feedback in real time on their apps' effectiveness.   We also discuss how cities and counties can run similar contests that are focused mainly on the local communities. This is an effective way to boost local small business broadband adoption.  

How do you maximize your community's investment in broadband? By creating great applications to run on your network. A recent day-long brainstorming session in Kansas City generated hundreds of ideas for great broadband apps. We're re-creating the magic with a live on-air session for our national audience. Several of the key KC facilitators are joining us to stoke the creative fires of our call-in and chat room audiences. You'll hear lots of cool ideas from others that you can use in your local community's broadband project. Our topic areas are: Economic development Healthcare (Senior Living & Mobility) Education Libraries as central broadband hubs Our brainstorming team joining us Wednesday represents: Social Media Club of Kansas CityThink Big, Kansas CityBrainzooming Don't miss this great session. Come listen, learn, contribute and collaborate.

Think you have the next killer gigabit app? The answer could net you $100,000. And while we're talking about it, our guest Scott Mize will discuss the investment potential of broadband networks and applications.   Scott is an Advisor to Think Big Partners and proposed the idea of The Gigabit Challenge as a way to help jump-start the development of ultra-high-speed broadband applications for Kansas City's Google gigabit network (and others, of course).   As venture development consultant to early-stage tech companies, Scott also helps our listeners understand where there are potential investment opportunties in broadband. Don't forget, there are over 1,100 cities that didn't get Google fiber but still want to build networks. 

Despite billions spent so far on broadband, are communities fully prepared to make libraries the literal and virtual backbone of their broadband strategies? Rich and poor, young and old, rural and urban, most people use a library. Don Means, Founder and CEO of Digital Village Assoc., is spearheading a national "Fiber to the Library" initiative. The goal is to bring 100 Mbps Internet connections to all of the 16,500 U.S. public libraries by 2012. Don will discuss how this initiative started, why it makes sense and why policymakers at all levels should aggressively support the efforts of those involved. He'll also highlight how the Kansas City, KS Public Library is capitalizing on the Google gigabit network project to become the model for cities nationwide that are expected to join the initiative. 

Washington policymakers are making a big deal about the valuable role wireless will play in getting broadband to unserved and underserved communities. But are you and D.C. talking about the same wireless?    Before Gigabit Nation host Craig Settles delivers his keynote address at the Wireless ISP Association (WISPA) annual convention in Las Vegas, he interviews WISPA President Rick Harnish. Today they discuss:   Universal Service Fund reform WISP'a role in an evolving broadband market How WISPs will compete with large providers to give rural communities better options

This past August, Craig Settles conducted a national survey of economic development professionals to get their feedback on how broadband can impact local economies. Today he presents the findings from this research.   There will be lots of valuable information and insights Gigabit Nation listeners can begin capitalizing on right away. This year's survey examines: the state of broadband in respondents' communities how broadband impacts general economic development broadband's impact on personal economic development broadband policy issues.   The full survey analysis report will be available later today at Settles' blog, Fighting the Next Good Fight. 

Community-run networks are on the leading edge of broadband deployment in the U.S. These networks serve cities and counties where incumbent telcos won't go. They deliver speeds and quality of service incumbents can't or won't match (think Chattanooga, Wilson, NC, Santa Monica, CA). And through creative thinking, planning and partnerships, they minimize taxpayer risks.   Learn how communities can overcome adversity and follow in the footsteps of these broadband pioneers. Vince Jordan, CEO of broadband service and technology provider RidgeviewTel, explains why local businesses and residents must take control of their broadband destiny. We'll analyze steps successful communities around the U.S. took to reduce risks and maximize gain. Longmont, CO is holding its second referendum campaign to take back their rights to select the broadband solutions, vendors and providers that serve this city's best interest, not those of the incumbents. Jordan has supported the citizens of Longmont in their effort to gain access to the city's fiber optic network since 2009.

Listeners learn some of the secrets of designing and executing a statewide broadband plan. Maine's broadband stimulus-funded project has cleared initial hurdles and is moving forward.   Driven by the Maine Fiber Company (MFC), the Three Ring Binder is the open access network dark fiber project. This project is ahead of schedule, has strong carrier sign-ups, and early wins on its pilot projects to get early sections lit and providing service to homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.   Tilson Tech Tilson is MFC's outsourced program and project management team running the project. Their President, Josh Broder, shares some of the best practices they've developed moving this project forward.

The FCC is knee-deep in Universal Service Fund (USF) reform and other key issues that are influencing broadband expansion and adoption in the U.S. FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn is our guest this week, helping listeners better understand, and (hopefully) participate in some of the FCC's efforts. Broadcasting live from the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors conference in San Francisco, host Craig Settles and Commissioner Clyburn discuss:   USF reform issues that directly impact funding that may become available for broadband broadband adoption issues specific to underserved urban communities how to increase communities' participation in broadband policy making Over $4 billion in potential broadband funding is being influenced by FCC actions. Policies that influence decisions made at the regional and local level are on the table. If you care about broadband, this is one show you don't want to miss.  

For several years Riverside, CA has tackled digital inclusion and literacy with impressive successes through aggressive use of its citywide wireless network. Through partnerships with various nonprofits and government agencies, low-income families and seniors have received computer systems and Internet access that have turned lives around. Through creative programs that teach youth computing and computer support skills, Riverside teenagers have become more proficient in school, they earn income repairing and supporting computing equipment and they provide a training force to help adults become computer literate. City CIO Steve Reneker educates listeners on how to create and manage similar programs.  

Ontario County built a $12 million countywide fiber network to provide county government with much needed broadband services. The network also spurs competition by providing an open access network on which multiple providers offer services.   Former County CIO Ed Hemminger tells discusses how the network led to businesses in the county getting cost effective alternatives to incumbent telecom and cable providers, reduces government operating costs by replacing outdated expensive legacy communication systems and enables businesses with multiple locations within the county to create powerful private intranets.

Two years before the first broadband stimulus app was filed, OpenCape Corporation was formed and creating a plan for successful broadband deployment in Massachusetts' Cape Cod region. This nonprofit's planning put them well ahead of the 2100 other communities vying for a piece of the stimulus pie. OpenCape not only won $40 million in Dept. Of Commerce BTOP and other funding, the organization is well on its way to deploying its network. Founder and CEO Dan Gallagher shares with our audience details on how to:   corral diverse stakeholders into a cohesive planning body; structure critical components of your plan to attract supporters and financing; move stakeholders forward from plan to actions that get results; and keep your plan on track as you overcome implementation challenges.

Many low-income urban communities need better, faster broadband as much as rural America. Learn why and what you can do about it. Our guest Lev Gonick, CIO of Cleveland, OH's Case Western Reserve University, launched the nation's first gigabit fiber-to-the-home research program called the Case Connection Zone.   Lev describes some of his major findings from this research, as well as exciting applications Case Western's urban broadband test bed has spawned. He also will discuss Gig.U, a new project headed by National Broadband Plan architect Blair Levin to facilitate collegiate broadband centers that expand services to surrounding communities. Our audience will pick up some vital lessons, including: availability and adoption are not the same, particularly in urban communities; how to structure effective "town & gown" strategies for broadband; and effective roles for private sector partners with Gig.U. Go to http://www.gig-u.org for more information about the Gig.U program.

Powell, WY was a great story to tell about one small town with a very big vision. Though their population was only 5,500 people, the community wanted a fiber network to help them regain economic viability. But private sector companies refused to do business with them because they saw no business case. Zane Logan, City Administrator of Powell, describes how the community built their own business case that was financially viable and put no taxpayer dollars at risk. With planning firm US Metronets, Powell developed strategy that has led to PowelLink (the city's fiber network) earning 30% market share. Listeners will pick up lessons on:   how to remove tax-payer risk and still own the network; re-thinking open access networks;   effective marketing; and introducing competition into small markets.   Read this article for important background on PowelLink - http://bit.ly/iRXErh

(Due to his invite to meet President Obama yesterday, we re-scheduled Gary Evans for today. We'll begin the show with Gary's re-cap of his Q&A with the President on broadband and the economy.) How do you maximize your broadband public private partnership (PPP)? Gary Evans has been refining and validating the answer to this question for several years, and you'll benefit from his experience and insights, Evans, President and CEO of Hiawatha Broadband Communications, has created two top-10 lists of tips that help you tap the full benefits PPPs offer while minimizing the challenges. One list is from the public sector perspective and the other tackles the question from the private sector perspective. In this broadcast, you'll get a good handle on several important issues including: •    finding the best partners; •    creating a shared vision; and •    developing the best plan for a win-win. Given the increasing interest and variations in PPPs, there's a lot that communities need to know. This interview starts you on the right path to success.  

[Due to technical difficulty, there's an echo in the recording we can't fix. We apologize, and hope you can hang in for at least some of the presentation. The information Drew has is excellent.] You're spending a lot of money and resources to build the network your community wants. But are you building the network your community needs? More importantly, will you motivate constituents to use the network? Drew Clark, Executive Dir. of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, has extensive experience assembling the data that's vital for making smart decisions about broadband. He knows it's not the maps that lead to greater adoption, but the quality of the data you use to create the maps. Craig Settles talks with Clark about several key issues that affect broadband adoption, including: how do you get the best data to make the right choices; deciphering data to understand what motivates consumers and businesses to adopt; and implementing effective adoption programs. Expect to come away with a deeper understanding of how to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to planning adoption programs. 

The main focus of today's interview is effective broadband planning. Our guest, Lisa Sherwood, is Program Director for the One Maryland project. Howard County and 9 other counties collectively won $115 million to deploy 1,200 miles of new cable, which will boost current fiber capability 50%. We're going to explore: how you do effective planning when you have so many jurisdictions collaborating under one project umbrella; One Maryland's progress to date; the expected economic impacts of this project A major takeaway from today's show are the lessons on how we can get Federal, state and local governments working together to achieve significant advances in broadband deployments that improve communities at many levels. Check out One Maryland's Web site

Sure, Chattanooga is doing great things with a gigabit network. However, Santa Monica's no slouch in a gigabit club that's still pretty small in number but huge on community benefits. They have a 10 gigabit network! Santa Monica started in 2006 with no money for a fiber network. City CIO Jory Wolf banked on creativity and business savvy to use Santa Monica's then dark fiber to save not only $750,000 in telecom costs, but also substantial costs for the city's schools and colleges. Today we explore in detail broadand's impact on local economies. Jory's team has leveraged the network to attract new media and entertainment companies, reduced telecom costs for existing businesses and increased the number of providers serving Santa Monica from one incumbent to 200 ISPs. Like Chattanooga, Santa Monica's fiber network also enables powerful wireless apps, including parking meter management, wireless hotzones and commercial corridors and smart grid. ....................................................................................................................................

Franklin County formed a public/private partnership with a local wireless Internet service provider (WISP) to expand the County's local government wide-area network (WAN) and provide broadband options for the citizens. Sandie Terry, Franklin County’s CIO, has driven this project as it has gone from serving 98 customers in early 2005 to currently thousands of residential customers and hundreds of businesses. The wireless mesh network supports data and voice and the WISP has segmented the County's voice traffic on their network to ensure quality of service (QoS). Among the many accomplishments, the county has reduced telecom expenditures 36% in two years after deploying VoIP to all offices over this WAN. We’ll discuss:   How can broadband projects become successful for those who didn’t win stimulus or Google money; The role of wireless in the big bigger broadband picture particularly in rural areas; and How Franklin County and their WISP overcame challenges in dealing with financing and difficult terrain issues. If you have questions for Terrie, send them to craig@cjspeaks.com. The call-in feature won’t be available for a couple of weeks. We’ll archive this show shortly after broadcast, and you can access it from this page. See you Monday.

Our guest this Wednesday will give you interesting insights into Chattanooga, TN’s 600-square mile gigabit network. James Ingraham, VP of Strategic Planning for EPB, which is Chattanooga’s public utility and the network operator, has been involved with the network since the beginning. We’ll discuss 1)    how EPB came to focus on smart grid as a main application of the fiber network, and what are the economic development implications of this decision; 2)    what are some of the cool uses and benefits of the network to date; and 3)    does the mesh network riding over the fiber have the potential to deliver on the dream of municipal wireless from several years ago? If you have additional questions for James, send them to craig@cjspeaks.com. The call-in feature won’t be available for a couple of weeks. We’ll archive this show shortly after broadcast, and you can access it from this page. See you Wednesday.

Host Craig Settles gives an overview of Gigabit Nation and its mission, its focus and some of our scheduled guests.