Computers 4 Kids Distributes Nearly 200 Laptops to Tennessee Children

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate joined Connected Tennessee for the distribution of nearly 200 laptops to children in the Tennessee Foster Care Program. The distribution is part of Connected Tennessee’s Computers 4 Kids program that distributes computers to kids and families facing economic challenges, in the foster care system or struggling with behavioral disorders and other issues. Children from 13 Tennessee counties were awarded computers. To learn more about the event, click here.

Connected Nation Continues Progress

Connected Nation continues to expand our scope of state-based activities and to add important national partners who are industry leaders. For more information about our release of broadband maps in West Virginia and the addition of NIC as a national partner, please see the summaries and press release links below.

West Virginia Makes First Mapping Efforts Toward a Potential $616 Million Economic Impact
Connect West Virginia announces the release of West Virginia broadband maps

Charleston, West Virginia – Today, Connect West Virginia announced the release of a statewide broadband inventory map that illustrates the extent of broadband service availability throughout the state. The map provides the first accurate representation of broadband availability in West Virginia illustrating the level of broadband investment to date as well as the service gaps yet to be filled. Connect West Virginia has determined through GIS analysis that broadband service is currently available to 81% of West Virginia households across the state. Read More

NIC and Connected Nation Partner to Drive Broadband Access and Increase eGovernment Use Across America
Access and Services Improve the Lives of Businesses and Citizens and Deliver Annual Economic Impact of $134 Billion

Washington, DC., and Olathe, Kan.,: Improving broadband Internet availability and expanding access to online government services to rural areas is the catalyst for eGovernment leader NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) joining the Connected Nation Partner Program. As part of the partnership, NIC is excited to support Connected Nation’s effort to get better online access and services to more people and students currently underserved. Connected Nation, a national 501(c)3 non-profit, has garnered international, industry-wide recognition as a best-practice model for broadband expansion. Learn More

Chamber, Connected Nation Launch Connect! Campaign, Co-Host Regional Broadband Dialogue

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and national non-profit Connected Nation announce Connect!, a national campaign to promote the importance and benefits of broadband and related technologies. The campaign kicks off with a series of regional dialogues to be held across the United States over the coming months.

“With a modest increase in broadband adoption, the U.S. could realize a total direct economic impact of $134 billion annually including $92 billion in new wages from the 2.4 million jobs created through broadband growth,” said Brian Mefford, CEO of Connected Nation, Inc. “To realize these results, public-private partnerships and events like these regional dialogues are necessary to foster the deployment of broadband to all communities while increasing user demand through state and local grassroots awareness and adoption campaigns.”

The dialogues will address the ability of broadband to impact everything from economic development and U.S. global competitiveness to telemedicine and education. The first dialogue will be held April 24 in Columbus, OH, and will feature a keynote speech by Governor Ted Strickland (D). Other discussions will follow in Charleston, SC; Albany, NY; Olympia, WA; Kansas City, MO; and Fargo, ND through mid-August.

“We are bringing together lawmakers, businesses, consumers, and experts in order to raise awareness on broadband use and discuss the importance of sound broadband policies and programs for the economic interests of the United States,” said William L. Kovacs, Vice President of Environment, Technology, and Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “These dialogues will emphasize that the ability to engage in e-commerce is critical for U.S. businesses. E-commerce allows all businesses, no matter how small or where they are located, to sell to customers everywhere.”

"It would be wrong to think that broadband deployment is mainly about equipment, speeds, and regulatory issues. In truth, this debate is about the future of our country's 74 million children whose ladder of opportunity now has "digital rungs," said Wendy Lazarus, Founder & Co-President of The Children's Partnership and a Board member of Connected Nation. "Making sure high-speed Internet is available to all families is the key to whether America's children are prepared for the 21st century economy and able to get the education, health, and economic opportunities offered by the digital age," Lazarus said.

For more information on the broadband dialogues, please visit: http://www.connectednation.org/ or www.uschamber.com/telecom

Connected Nation Joins U.S. Delegation to Asia-Pacific Cooperation’s Telecom Working Group in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan: As part of the U.S. delegation to APEC, Connected Nation joined with delegates from 21 international economies to provide expert testimony in the seminar "Using ICT for Rural Community Capacity Building," part of the 37th meeting of the APEC Telecommunications and Information Working Group. Brian Mefford, CEO of Connected Nation, presented the experiences of Connected Nation in promoting ICT tools and applications to expand broadband adoption and capacity building in rural communities.

“It is an honor to present the Connected Nation model to the distinguished APEC delegations representing numerous economies around the world,” Mefford said. “The need for broadband-enabled opportunity is a universal concern. Advanced technologies allow people to connect to the global economy to conduct commerce, share cultures and promote sustainability.”

APEC is committed to connecting rural and indigenous communities through ICT tools and applications “to create opportunities to learn new livelihood skills, access information, develop skills and make more use of existing information infrastructure that would facilitate their integration into the global information societies.” The seminar is designed to discuss and present best practices to bring technology capabilities to rural communities. This year’s seminar is a continuation of past meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation discussing the rural technology expansion.

As part of the meeting’s expert testimony, Mefford discussed the successful tools and applications that Connected Nation has implemented in various parts of the United States to build capacity in rural communities. The presentation also highlighted a successful demonstration project that is ongoing in partnership with IRMA India to build capacity in rural villages in the country’s southeastern region. Connected Nation has developed numerous programs to increase the availability of technology and improve technology literacy towards promoting rural capacity building.