Connected Nation’s CEO Brian Mefford Interviewed on WJR-AM

Foster Braun, host of the WJR-AM radio program Internet Advisor, interviewed Connected Nation’s CEO Brian Mefford who described the national non-profit’s model for working from state to state to facilitate public-private partnerships and Connect Michigan’s initiative to assist Michiganders in their efforts to plan for and use technology to improve the way citizens work and live.

“Any trip begins with a good map” was the travel metaphor he used to emphasize the significance of the Connect Michigan broadband map roll out in the state.

He explained how the maps are the first means for examining where efforts need to be focused and pointed out that providers need to know where gaps exist. “They know their service territories but not their competitors: said Mefford. “ A provider might not be aware of new neighborhoods that no one has provided access to yet. We see a lot of private sector investment flow immediately when this kind of market intelligence becomes available”.

To hear the podcast of this interview, go to http://www.wjr.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.internetadvisor.net

To visit the Connect Michigan Web site go to
http://www.connectmi.org.

Confronting the Broadband Adoption Challenge – How do We Fix it?

How do you boost broadband adoption? That was the subject of a webinar hosted by Intel and other industry leaders to stress the importance of tackling the key barriers to broadband adoption. Connected Nation Chief Executive Officer Brian Mefford served as one of the panelists in the discussion with other broadband researchers and technology leaders.

Mefford was joined by Michael Santorelli, director of the Advanced Communications Law & Policy Institute; Aaron Smith from the Pew Internet & American Life Project; Eric Greenman, manager of Service Provider Marketing at Intel Americas; and Bill Wallace from DigitalBridge Communications. The webinar was hosted by w2i.com.

There was a common theme among the findings and experiences of the group, most notably: populations, particularly those that are older, have less education, or lower income, continue to lag behind in broadband adoption.

However, all parties agreed that simply providing affordable broadband service to an area or particular group of people does not mean that adoption rates will instantly rise.

Coupling affordable high-speed Internet with digital literacy programs, like computer classes, and community involvement and technology planning programs have the most significant impact on broadband adoption rates, they said.

At Connected Nation, the efforts to address the issues of broadband adoption are two-fold, Mefford said. The first is to identify the reasons that people do not use broadband. The second is to address those issues at a community level.

“It’s not just about identifying the common barriers at a macro level,” he said. “We must drill down further to the local level and understand particular communities’ nuances. By doing so, we are able to bring forward and execute the most relevant and high-impact solutions to broadband adoption barriers.”

Already, Connected Nation has designed or started such community-specific programs. Connected Nation, along with Intel and other technology companies, have proposed a program called Every Citizen Online (SM), which will work with local communities to provide affordable broadband service, along with digital literacy training and a personal computer.

In addition, Connected Nation’s work through its state-based initiative, Connected Tennessee, has seen the fruits of such local-level collaboration.

In Tennessee, work to provide expanded access to and use of broadband has seen significant success. Since Connected Tennessee’s 2007 inception, more than 250,000 Tennesseans have gained access to broadband.

In addition, Connected Tennessee has donated more than 2,000 computers to children, families, and communities through its Computers 4 Kids program. One such donation, to the Saint John Baptist Church After-School Program in Stanton, stands out.

Click here to view a video about the impact of the C4K donation and the importance of community involvement in combating broadband adoption barriers.

Overall, the key to widespread adoption and use of high-speed Internet is a group effort — from community leaders to local business to technology providers.

To learn more about the work of Connected Nation and its partners, visit www.connectednation.org.

Mapping in the Stimulus Plan

The New York Times recently wrote an article regarding the value of a nationwide broadband inventory as described in the federal stimulus plan. The article provides various points of view and justifications for the $350 million price tag currently allocated for a “nationwide inventory map of existing broadband service capability and availability in the United States.” Connected Nation and its many state-based affiliates have long been developing and updating similar broadband efforts and these maps are valuable vehicles for change among the state broadband landscape.

However, as Connected Nation’s experience has demonstrated and as Congress and the Obama administration have so aptly laid out in the new “broadband stimulus,” the broadband service inventory is only one component of the required efforts to ensure that everyone has access to broadband and is able to realize the value of getting connected. As laid out in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (and as funded by the $350 million for state grant programs) the broadband inventory must be complimented by:

Efforts to increase awareness of broadband availability, adoption and applications;
Statewide public-private partnership that is dedicated to full broadband deployment;
Community-level demand creation program that brings together local citizens to educate them and energize the opportunity of broadband; and
Computer distribution programs to put computers in the hands of low-income households.

Simply put, these broadband inventories outline where broadband is and where it is not. Understanding the landscape of the broadband environment as well as available connectivity options develops educated consumers and entices providers to build out. Coupled with serious and comprehensive demand side activities, these inventory maps become a critical tool in addressing the challenges to digital inclusion.

As prescribed in the stimulus and as included in Public Law 100-385 (the Broadband Data Improvement Act) Connected Nation works closely with the private sector throughout all efforts to successfully improve digital inclusion in our states and local communities. During map development, we work closely with telecom providers of all types and sizes to exchange detailed versions of their coverage data. Provider information is sometimes unavailable at the start of a process, it is rarely in any standard format and it always requires special considerations on the part of the aggregator so that a certain level of confidentiality is upheld for the most sensitive data.

This engagement with the private sector at all points in the process allows for more informed decision-making for companies and more effective policy making among the public sector. It is the essence of effective public-private partnership. We commend Congress and President Obama for taking the bold step to enable this type of partnership in each and every state. America will be better for it.

Connected Nation’s Summary of the Broadband Data Improvement Act

Connected Nation applauds the bipartisan support of federal legislation dedicated to ensuring that all Americans enjoy the benefits of a broadband connection.

Passed by unanimous consent in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, S. 1492 – the Broadband Data Improvement Act – is the culmination of almost two years of work by the Commerce Committees in both chambers. Congress working in a bi-partisan manner achieved consensus on a national broadband plan that includes as a cornerstone the Connected Nation model of public-private partnerships leveraging their combined power to improve the quality-of-life for all Americans.

In the Broadband Data Improvement Act, Congress agrees that broadband deployment and adoption results in enhanced economic development, enhanced public safety, healthcare and educational opportunities, and improves quality of life. The Congress also stipulates that continued progress in deployment and adoption are vital to America’s future, that better federal data on broadband will help this progress, and that the federal government should assist in state efforts to create public-private partnerships.

S. 1492 takes action to improve the knowledge of the federal government on the status of broadband in the U.S. through directives to the FCC, the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Comptroller General, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Through new collected information from consumers and broadband providers, and studies on broadband, these provisions will help inform federal activity on broadband policy in the years to come. In addition, statewide broadband availability maps must be compiled by the Department of Commerce into a national broadband map.

The Broadband Data Improvement Act also creates a new competitive grant program to spur the creation and support of state-based broadband initiatives. In order for states to access grant funds, they must work with a nonprofit to:

• Create a statewide broadband availability map
• Increase broadband availability by working with broadband providers and the public sector
• Increase broadband adoption using grassroots demand aggregation
• Conduct research to assess the barriers to technology use
• Create a Computers4Kids™-like program that puts computers into the hands of at risk children

Statement from Connected Nation’s CEO
"By passing this bill unanimously in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, every member of Congress has promoted the importance of broadband and the related technologies that are enabled when communities and families have the ability and desire to connect to a world of opportunity. We appreciate the U.S. Congress’ support and leadership on this matter, particularly of those many Members of Congress who directly sought the input of Connected Nation as they crafted this groundbreaking legislation. Congress has demonstrated an appreciation of the need to ensure that all people, regardless of their location or socio-economic status, have the ability to realize the promises of technology. Connected Nation is heartened by both the bipartisanship demonstrated in the passage of this crucial legislation and the wide coalition of groups and interests that joined together to ensure it was passed before Congress adjourns. For the United States, this new broadband policy will mean better education, more jobs, improved healthcare, more efficient government and a better quality of life accessible for all Americans, regardless of their location or socio-economic circumstances.”

-- Brian Mefford, CEO of Connected Nation, Inc.

Computers 4 Kids Delivers Computers to Foster Children in Tennessee

Connected Nation’s efforts in TN are bringing together the public and private sectors to engage in meaningful efforts that are having a real impact on digital inclusion. Since the launch of Connected TN home computer ownership in previously underserved areas has grown by 10% while broadband adoption has grown by a very impressive 37% in rural areas specifically. These data are most impressive when we see how they translate to the lives of real people.

I would like to invite you to watch an inspiring video about “Computers 4 Kids,” a program just launched by Connected Tennessee. You will hear the story of Lotez Holloway, a foster care child who has been in six homes in five years, but retains his enthusiasm and drive for educational excellence. “At school these days, basically you need a computer to get along,” says Lotez. “It’s like your pencil now.”

Through the Computers 4 Kids program (an extension of “No Child Left Offline”), Connected Tennessee and its partners are placing computers in the homes of underprivileged children. Why are we doing this? Simple. In order to excel in school, students need a broadband-enabled computer at home, regardless of where that home happens to be.

We congratulate Lotez for his high aspirations and we look forward to continuing to work with you to enable countless other similar possibilities across our increasingly connected nation.

All the Best…
Brian