US Senate Commerce Committee Hearing “Why Broadband Matters”

Today, the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing designed to take a step back, look at the larger picture, and examine the importance of broadband in the daily lives of Americans. Chairman Daniel Inouye (HI–D) captured it well in his opening remarks – “This is why our discussion today is not about pipes and providers. It is about people; our citizens stand to gain the most from universal broadband adoption.”

Representatives of the AARP, the American Library Association, the American Telemedicine Association and the head of an Alaskan health corporation (which relies on distance medicine to effectively treat 28,000 patients in a geographic area the size of Oregon) all hammered home the point that broadband services are critical to healthcare, employment, education and quality of life for everyone in the United States. They told the stories of Americans who directly benefit from broadband.

Rey Ramsey, head of the One Economy Corporation, stressed the importance of broadband policies that focus on aggregating demand for and adoption of broadband services, reiterating a point made often by Connected Nation - local applications that have value and use in day-to-day life drive demand for broadband services. One Economy “is a global nonprofit that leverages the power of technology and information to connect low-income people to the economic mainstream.”

Larry Cohen, the President of the Communications Workers of America, pointed to Connected Nation’s initiative, Connect Ohio, as an example of successful public-private partnerships that bring together the public and private sectors to overcome broadband availability gaps, increase broadband adoption (particularly in low-income and rural populations) and deliver measurable improvements to the American quality of life. Cohen also recommended, as did other witnesses, that the Senate pass S. 1492, the Broadband Data Improvement Act, which would speed the creation of comprehensive broadband initiatives in the states.

The need for a comprehensive broadband initiative across the country is important to many Americans. Connected Nation joined a coalition of thirty-one associations, companies, and non-profits to send a letter to both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives on July 11, 2008 calling for the completion of broadband mapping and demand aggregation legislation before the close of the 110th Congress (S. 1492, the Broadband Data Improvement Act; H.R. 3919, the Broadband Census of America Act; or a combination of these two bills).

With time running out before Congress adjourns in advance of the November elections, the time for action is now – a point well made during today’s hearing.

(More information on today’s hearing can be found here: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=9e474249-4555-4df9-bee2-975ea1752d97 )

Wall Street Journal Profiles Kentucky’s Global Economic Development Leadership

Recently, the Wall Street Journal recognized Kentucky as one of the world’s seven outstanding economic development leaders, highlighting the efforts of ConnectKentucky to bring high speed Internet (broadband) benefits to every Kentuckian. Featured in the Journal’s Special Report on economic development, the article highlights the dramatic impact that technology growth has had on the lives of millions of Kentuckians as the cooperative effort has created an innovative environment for job growth, healthcare improvements, better education and improved quality of life. The story illustrates the all-inclusive nature of ConnectKentucky’s efforts through the story of local citizens and businesses who joined together to bring broadband and jobs to rural Pendleton County.

This article comes at a time when only half of Kentucky households take advantage of the broadband made available to them. We are reminded that the work of ConnectKentucky is not yet done… until every Kentuckian realizes the potential that exists with a broadband connection.

To read the entire Wall Street Journal article, click here.

The Wall Street Journal’s special economic development report included an editor’s note mentioning that the seven places and seven ideas were creative and successful strategies for growth. For more on the editor’s note, click here.

You can find more about ConnectKentucky at www.connectkentucky.org. To read the press release, click here.

Connected Nation Accelerates Broadband Opportunities in Rural California

Just a quick post to update on Connected Nation’s efforts in California. The CETF is doing good work and we’re glad to be partnering with them. Have a great weekend.

Today at the 2008 Rural Connection Workshop in Redding, Connected Nation and the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) announced a partnership to support broadband acceleration efforts in California’s rural regions. The partnership intends to leverage Connected Nation’s successful experiences working jointly with community leaders and technology companies to implement efforts that ensure rural communities can seize the promise of broadband-enabled opportunities.

Kicking off the partnership efforts at CETF’s Rural Connection Workshop, Connected Nation presented details of its broadband acceleration model and discussed relevant best practices with participants. As identified in recent broadband mapping efforts, rural areas of California typically lag behind more densely populated areas in terms of broadband availability. Community leaders in those areas are working to ensure they too can access the economic and quality of life benefits that accompany access to the technology. Key to closing this gap is identifying and increasing the demand for broadband and implementing programs that improve technology literacy and use, Connected Nation leaders told those attending the workshop.