MuniWireless

The New America Foundation has published a report on broadband penetration and Internet use among Native American communities. As you might imagine, people who live on Indian lands have hardly any options when it comes to broadband, i.e. the vast majority don’t even have it. Where wireless broadband is available, it’s too expensive. But, until you read this report, you won’t realize just how dire the situation is. Download New Media, Technology and Internet Use in Indian Country: Quantitative and Qualitative…

The US Broadband Coalition has released its report entitled Expanding and Accelerating the Adoption & Use of Broadband Throughout the Economy (PDF format). The US Broadband Coalition is composed of more than 160 organizations working toward a comprehensive national broadband strategy to ensure America’s success in the emerging knowledge-based global economy. The Coalition includes communications providers of all kinds, high-technology companies, manufacturers, labor unions, educational institutions, utilities, consumer groups, public interest organizations, units of state and local government, and many other stakeholders…

The Berkman Center for Internet & Society has posted a draft of its independent review for the FCC entitled Next Generation Connectivity: A review of broadband Internet transitions and policy from around the world. Berkman Center invites everyone to read it and participate in the public comment process (see FCC public notice). Among the findings of the report:

“The highest prices for the lowest speeds are overwhelmingly offered by firms in the United States and Canada, all of which inhabit markets…

Wally Bowen, executive director of the Mountain Area Information Network (MAIN) in Asheville, North Carolina, has written a primer on how to deploy a local wireless broadband network for people. Wally speaks from experience. MAIN is an ISP that serves hundreds of wireless subscribers spread out over four counties. In the primer, Bowen includes details on cost of equipment, the amount of bandwidth needed to serve hundreds of customers, blending fiber and wireless and more.

Here is an excerpt from the…

The Muniwireless How to Get a Grant Guide: Part 1 is now available for download. The guide summarizes the key features of the recently released NTIA and RUS rules for projects seeking funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009  and provides guidance to those who are thinking of applying for a grant. It also critiques certain aspects of the NTIA rules. The guide gives a few examples of interesting rural broadband projects that could give applicants innovative…

I receive emails from time to time asking if I know of studies that show the economic benefits of broadband. I know I’ve read some of them but I can never remember any one in particular. Today I came across a site that lists a few studies done in Europe, Asia and the US. For example, there is a study that investigates the effect of high-speed broadband on Korea’s economy and one on broadband in North Carolina. To see the…