Barriers to Broadband Infographic
The link above will show you the states that restrict municipal broadband and more. This reinforces the point the FCC recently made that, by its estimates, half of rural Americans can’t get advanced broadband service.
http://www.cnet.com/news/how-blazing-internet-speeds-helped-chattanooga-shed-its-smokestack-past/
How does gigabit Internet drive innovation?
“While ‘the Gig’ is often credited with Chattanooga’s most recent renaissance, there are a number of other factors that help make Chattanooga an attractive hub for tech entrepreneurs. The city boasts investors, such as Lamp Post, which are willing to bet on early-stage startups. There is also the nonprofit, The Company Lab, or CoLab for short, which in 2012 launched “GigTank,” an annual 14-week summer entrepreneur program focused on making the best uses of the gigabit broadband. And there is the INCubator program sponsored by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and the Hamilton County Business Development Center, which offers office space, advice and mentoring opportunities for startups.”
Google Fiber causes disruption (in Charlotte)
To anyone who deals with implementing infrastructure (be it roads, power, phones, or fiber optic cable), it is understood that the process is sometimes frustrating for those impacted during construction. Apparently, Charlotte is no different. The good news is that Google Fiber is coming to them, and further good news is that “More times than not, the process seems to go off without a hitch.”
It is with sadness that the ERC mourns the passing of the wife of one of its Directors. Jo Cline, co-founder of the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) alongside her husband of 54 years (ERC Board member Don Cline), passed away on July 25 in Greensboro, NC. Jo is lovingly remembered as the “First Lady of PARI”. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Jo Cline Memorial Fund at PARI (1 PARI Drive, Rosman, NC 28772).
Jo’s obituary can be found HERE.
Google Fiber and representatives from other tech firms will pitch lawmakers on ways to improve broadband investment around the country. “..old rules for network investment no longer apply.”