[Advisors] Fwd: [CommunityInformaticsCanada] FW: [1st-mile-nm] Beyond Access - Building Grassroots Power through Community Broadband Networks
Gareth Shearman
shearman at victoria.tc.ca
Tue, 7 Feb 2012 09:46:11 -0800
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Here is some information originating with one of our colleagues in the =
US, Richard Lowenberg:
Gareth
Begin forwarded message:
> From: "michael gurstein" <gurstein@gmail.com>
> Date: February 6, 2012 6:42:34 PM PST
> To: <cracin-canada@vancouvercommunity.net>
> Cc: <rl@dcn.org>
> Subject: [CommunityInformaticsCanada] FW: [1st-mile-nm] Beyond Access =
- Building Grassroots Power through Community Broadband Networks
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: 1st-mile-nm-bounces+gurstein=3Dgmail.com@mailman.dcn.org
> [mailto:1st-mile-nm-bounces+gurstein=3Dgmail.com@mailman.dcn.org] On =
Behalf Of
> Richard Lowenberg
> Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 1:46 PM
> To: 1st mile nm
> Subject: [1st-mile-nm] Beyond Access - Building Grassroots Power =
through
> Community Broadband Networks
>=20
>=20
> I know that individual subscribers to this list presented as part of
> the
> Tribal Telecom Conference, and others attended. Log on to the site,
> for links.
> Any added follow-up from participants and/or atendees is appreciated. =
RL
>=20
> ----------
>=20
> Beyond Access - Building Grassroots Power through Community Broadband
> Networks
>=20
>=20
> =
http://mag-net.org/blog/digital-dialogue-recap-beyond-access-building-gras=
sr
> oots-power-through-community-broadband-netw
>=20
> Digital Dialogue Recap: Beyond Access - Building Grassroots Power
> through Community Broadband Networks
>=20
> Submitted by Brandi on Thu, 2012-02-02
>=20
> (On Thursday), the national Media Action Grassroots Network (MAG-Net)
> member, Native Public Media (NPM) hosted the first ever Tribal Telecom
> conference in Tucson, Arizona. At the conference tribal leaders,
> government officials and entrepreneurs (came) together to share
> information, explore options, and pursue solutions to advance close =
the
> digital divide for tribal communities.
>=20
> On January 25th, last week, Traci Morris of NPM was a special guest on
> MAG-Net=1B$B!G=1B(Bs monthly digital dialogue call, Beyond Access: =
Owning Community
> Broadband Networks. =1B$B!H=1B(BBy any measure, communities on tribal =
lands have
> less access to community broadband than any other segment of the
> population=1B$B!I=1B(B, Traci remarks, =1B$B!H=1B(BOnly six tribes in =
Indian country got BTOP
> broadband funding last year - this doesn't do enough to bridge the
> digital divide=1B$B!I=1B(B. Traci provided a sobering overview of the =
state of
> communications access in Indian country, citing that only 68% of =
people
> actually have telephone access and that only less than 10 percent of
> have broadband access.=1B$B!I=1B(B Traci continued to assert the =
Internet is an
> equalizer and how it=1B$B!G=1B(Bs key for economic development, and =
community
> growth opportunities, providing Native Americans with access to health
> care, jobs and more.
>=20
> The MAG-Net Dialogue also featured Christopher Mitchell of the
> Institute for Local Self-Reliance=1B$B!G=1B(Bs (ILSR) New Rules =
project, an
> organization devoted to providing news, information, research, and
> connections to the nation-wide movement of building broadband networks
> that are directly accountable to the community they serve. ILSR
> encourages community ownership of structures such as public ownership,
> cooperative models, and other nonprofit approaches.
>=20
> Benefits of Community Broadband Networks
>=20
> Just like electricity, broadband is now a basic element of necessary
> infrastructure that must be guaranteed by policy and investment in =
order
> to ensure our nation=1B$B!G=1B(Bs economic survival. In 2010, The =
FCC reported
> that between 14 and 24 million Americans lack access to broadband and
> found that unserved areas are disproportionately rural or low-income. =
A
> 2010 Pew Center study found that while 66% of all adults now have
> broadband at home, just 56% of African Americans, 66% of Latinos and =
45%
> of those making less than $30,000 a year do.
>=20
> Community broadband networks empower communities to make creative
> choices on how broadband infrastructure deployment and service =
provision
> can best serve their social and economic development needs. In the =
best
> and most common examples, a community might decide to use wireless
> technologies to extend services to hard-to-reach areas. Community
> networks create opportunities that retain talent and business and =
allow
> for sustainable economic growth. These models present new and
> innovative opportunities to extend services and prove the viability of
> underserved and unserved communities by changing the cost structure of
> the investment model.
>=20
> Local owned infrastructures allow communities to build to suit local
> needs, geographic strengths and bottlenecks in ways that can greatly
> reduce cost. Communities that have invested in these networks have =
seen
> tremendous benefits. Even small communities have generated millions of
> dollars in cumulative savings from reduced rates - caused by
> competition. According to major employers have cited broadband =
networks
> as a deciding factor in choosing a new site and existing businesses =
have
> prospered in a more competitive environment.
>=20
> Telecoms Pose Challenges and Threats
>=20
> The continued monopolization of broadband wire infrastructure by a few
> large incumbents creates a powerful force aimed at protecting the
> current business model-one that leads to digital redlining, exclusion =
of
> communities of color, and higher costs and lower speeds for all
> subscribers. There are 18 states that have legislation that either =
bans
> community networks
>=20
> For many years, telecommunication and cable companies have been
> lobbying hard on the state level to push legislation that would =
prevent
> municipal broadband networks. Most recently, last week AT&T reignited
> their push to pass a bill in the state legislature that =1B$B!H=1B(Bwill=
gut the
> self-determination of local communities in the digital age=1B$B!I=1B(B, =
according
> to Mitchell. =1B$B!H=1B(BThe market power of AT&T and Time Warner =
Cable has already
> driven most private sector competition from the market -- now they =
want
> to use their lobbying clout to ensure that the communities themselves
> cannot build the networks they need to attract economic development =
and
> maintain a high quality of life.=1B$B!I=1B(B
>=20
> Despite these threats, local communities are finding innovate ways to
> pool resources together to start their own broadband networks. The
> MAG-Net digital dialogue also featured Danielle Chynoweth, co-founder =
of
> Urbana--=1B$B!>=1B(BChampaign Independent Media Center (UCIMC) who =
transformed
> their organization into an instrumental leader in winning a $22.5
> million in Broadband infrastructure funds for their mainly rural
> community - a community of about 120,000 with a large research one
> university in a community still divided by race and class.
>=20
> =1B$B!H=1B(BMuch of our community had no high speed option through the =
private
> sector as AT&T has cherry picked where to deliver UVerse high speed
> Internet. Winning the broadband funds was the capstone on a decade of
> local organizing around digital inclusion.=1B$B!I=1B(B, Danielle =
continues to
> explain, =1B$B!H=1B(BUCIMC has long sponsored the development of open =
source
> community wireless systems and deployed the first wifi network in
> Urbana, extended in collaboration with the city. Our system was used =
as
> well by townships in South Africa as tribal lands out west.=1B$B!I=1B(B
>=20
> UCIMC members helped to spearhead the creation of a Broadband Access
> committee of the local cable and telecommunication commission. During
> the grants process, Urbana IMC used these funds to get stimulus funds.
>=20
> Chris Mitchell applauded the successful national fight to win the =
Local
> Community Radio Act in December 2010 and the need to study and learn =
how
> that battle was won. This win now allows communities to own their own
> community media infrastructure through operating their own lower power
> radio stations. Lessons can be learned from this 10-year fight as
> communities pursue owning their own broadband infrastructure.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> --
> Richard Lowenberg
> 1st-Mile Institute
> Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
> 505-989-9110 / 505-603-5200
> www.1st-mile.com
> rl@1st-mile.com _______________________________________________
> 1st-mile-nm mailing list
> 1st-mile-nm@mailman.dcn.org =
http://www2.dcn.org/mailman/listinfo/1st-mile-nm
>=20
> About the CRACIN Discussion Mailing List
> cracin-canada @ vancouvercommunity.net
> Purpose: news + discussion related directly to CRACIN research=20
> Members: Core Research Team + graduate students + others who are =
(becoming) directly involved with CRACIN research activities (e.g. other =
government partners, private sector partners, and those invited based on =
their expression of interest). It is the main ongoing forum for CRACIN =
research discussion.
>=20
> List info and admin: http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists
> CRACIN home page: http://www.cracin.ca
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<html><head></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Here =
is some information originating with one of our colleagues in the US, =
Richard Lowenberg:<div><br></div><div>Gareth<br><div><br><div>Begin =
forwarded message:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px;"><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; =
font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>From: </b></span><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">"michael gurstein" =
<<a =
href=3D"mailto:gurstein@gmail.com">gurstein@gmail.com</a>><br></span></=
div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; =
font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>Date: </b></span><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">February 6, 2012 =
6:42:34 PM PST<br></span></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, =
1);"><b>To: </b></span><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; =
font-size:medium;"><<a =
href=3D"mailto:cracin-canada@vancouvercommunity.net">cracin-canada@vancouv=
ercommunity.net</a>><br></span></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, =
1);"><b>Cc: </b></span><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; =
font-size:medium;"><<a =
href=3D"mailto:rl@dcn.org">rl@dcn.org</a>><br></span></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px;"><span style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; =
font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span =
style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica'; =
font-size:medium;"><b>[CommunityInformaticsCanada] FW: [1st-mile-nm] =
Beyond Access - Building Grassroots Power through Community Broadband =
Networks</b><br></span></div><br><div>-----Original =
Message-----<br>From: <a =
href=3D"mailto:1st-mile-nm-bounces+gurstein=3Dgmail.com@mailman.dcn.org">1=
st-mile-nm-bounces+gurstein=3Dgmail.com@mailman.dcn.org</a><br>[mailto:1st=
-mile-nm-bounces+gurstein=3Dgmail.com@mailman.dcn.org] On Behalf =
Of<br>Richard Lowenberg<br>Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 1:46 =
PM<br>To: 1st mile nm<br>Subject: [1st-mile-nm] Beyond Access - Building =
Grassroots Power through<br>Community Broadband Networks<br><br><br> I =
know that individual subscribers to this list presented as part of<br> =
the<br> Tribal Telecom Conference, and others attended. Log on to =
the site,<br> for links.<br> Any added follow-up from participants =
and/or atendees is appreciated. RL<br><br> ----------<br><br> =
Beyond Access - Building Grassroots Power through Community =
Broadband<br> Networks<br><br><br><a =
href=3D"http://mag-net.org/blog/digital-dialogue-recap-beyond-access-build=
ing-grassr">http://mag-net.org/blog/digital-dialogue-recap-beyond-access-b=
uilding-grassr</a><br>oots-power-through-community-broadband-netw<br><br> =
Digital Dialogue Recap: Beyond Access - Building Grassroots Power<br> =
through Community Broadband Networks<br><br> Submitted by Brandi on Thu, =
2012-02-02<br><br> (On Thursday), the national Media Action Grassroots =
Network (MAG-Net)<br> member, Native Public Media (NPM) hosted the first =
ever Tribal Telecom<br> conference in Tucson, Arizona. At the =
conference tribal leaders,<br> government officials and entrepreneurs =
(came) together to share<br> information, explore options, and pursue =
solutions to advance close the<br> digital divide for tribal =
communities.<br><br> On January 25th, last week, Traci Morris of NPM was =
a special guest on<br> MAG-Net=1B$B!G=1B(Bs monthly digital dialogue =
call, Beyond Access: Owning Community<br> Broadband Networks. =1B$B!H=1B(B=
By any measure, communities on tribal lands have<br> less access to =
community broadband than any other segment of the<br> =
population=1B$B!I=1B(B, Traci remarks, =1B$B!H=1B(BOnly six tribes in =
Indian country got BTOP<br> broadband funding last year - this doesn't =
do enough to bridge the<br> digital divide=1B$B!I=1B(B. Traci provided a =
sobering overview of the state of<br> communications access in Indian =
country, citing that only 68% of people<br> actually have telephone =
access and that only less than 10 percent of<br> have broadband =
access.=1B$B!I=1B(B Traci continued to assert the Internet is =
an<br> equalizer and how it=1B$B!G=1B(Bs key for economic development, =
and community<br> growth opportunities, providing Native Americans with =
access to health<br> care, jobs and more.<br><br> The MAG-Net Dialogue =
also featured Christopher Mitchell of the<br> Institute for Local =
Self-Reliance=1B$B!G=1B(Bs (ILSR) New Rules project, an<br> organization =
devoted to providing news, information, research, and<br> connections to =
the nation-wide movement of building broadband networks<br> that are =
directly accountable to the community they serve. ILSR<br> encourages =
community ownership of structures such as public ownership,<br> =
cooperative models, and other nonprofit approaches.<br><br> Benefits of =
Community Broadband Networks<br><br> Just like electricity, broadband is =
now a basic element of necessary<br> infrastructure that must be =
guaranteed by policy and investment in order<br> to ensure our =
nation=1B$B!G=1B(Bs economic survival. In 2010, The FCC =
reported<br> that between 14 and 24 million Americans lack access to =
broadband and<br> found that unserved areas are disproportionately rural =
or low-income. A<br> 2010 Pew Center study found that while 66% of =
all adults now have<br> broadband at home, just 56% of African =
Americans, 66% of Latinos and 45%<br> of those making less than $30,000 =
a year do.<br><br> Community broadband networks empower communities to =
make creative<br> choices on how broadband infrastructure deployment and =
service provision<br> can best serve their social and economic =
development needs. In the best<br> and most common examples, a community =
might decide to use wireless<br> technologies to extend services to =
hard-to-reach areas. Community<br> networks create opportunities =
that retain talent and business and allow<br> for sustainable economic =
growth. These models present new and<br> innovative opportunities =
to extend services and prove the viability of<br> underserved and =
unserved communities by changing the cost structure of<br> the =
investment model.<br><br> Local owned infrastructures allow communities =
to build to suit local<br> needs, geographic strengths and bottlenecks =
in ways that can greatly<br> reduce cost. Communities that have invested =
in these networks have seen<br> tremendous benefits. Even small =
communities have generated millions of<br> dollars in cumulative savings =
from reduced rates - caused by<br> competition. According to major =
employers have cited broadband networks<br> as a deciding factor in =
choosing a new site and existing businesses have<br> prospered in a more =
competitive environment.<br><br> Telecoms Pose Challenges and =
Threats<br><br> The continued monopolization of broadband wire =
infrastructure by a few<br> large incumbents creates a powerful force =
aimed at protecting the<br> current business model-one that leads to =
digital redlining, exclusion of<br> communities of color, and higher =
costs and lower speeds for all<br> subscribers. There are 18 states that =
have legislation that either bans<br> community networks<br><br> For =
many years, telecommunication and cable companies have been<br> lobbying =
hard on the state level to push legislation that would prevent<br> =
municipal broadband networks. Most recently, last week AT&T =
reignited<br> their push to pass a bill in the state legislature that =
=1B$B!H=1B(Bwill gut the<br> self-determination of local communities in =
the digital age=1B$B!I=1B(B, according<br> to Mitchell. =1B$B!H=1B(BThe =
market power of AT&T and Time Warner Cable has already<br> driven =
most private sector competition from the market -- now they want<br> to =
use their lobbying clout to ensure that the communities themselves<br> =
cannot build the networks they need to attract economic development =
and<br> maintain a high quality of life.=1B$B!I=1B(B<br><br> Despite =
these threats, local communities are finding innovate ways to<br> pool =
resources together to start their own broadband networks. The<br> =
MAG-Net digital dialogue also featured Danielle Chynoweth, co-founder =
of<br> Urbana--=1B$B!>=1B(BChampaign Independent Media Center (UCIMC) =
who transformed<br> their organization into an instrumental leader in =
winning a $22.5<br> million in Broadband infrastructure funds for their =
mainly rural<br> community - a community of about 120,000 with a large =
research one<br> university in a community still divided by race and =
class.<br><br> =1B$B!H=1B(BMuch of our community had no high speed =
option through the private<br> sector as AT&T has cherry picked =
where to deliver UVerse high speed<br> Internet. Winning the =
broadband funds was the capstone on a decade of<br> local organizing =
around digital inclusion.=1B$B!I=1B(B, Danielle continues to<br> =
explain, =1B$B!H=1B(BUCIMC has long sponsored the development of open =
source<br> community wireless systems and deployed the first wifi =
network in<br> Urbana, extended in collaboration with the city. =
Our system was used as<br> well by townships in South Africa as =
tribal lands out west.=1B$B!I=1B(B<br><br> UCIMC members helped to =
spearhead the creation of a Broadband Access<br> committee of the local =
cable and telecommunication commission. During<br> the grants process, =
Urbana IMC used these funds to get stimulus funds.<br><br> Chris =
Mitchell applauded the successful national fight to win the Local<br> =
Community Radio Act in December 2010 and the need to study and learn =
how<br> that battle was won. This win now allows communities to =
own their own<br> community media infrastructure through operating their =
own lower power<br> radio stations. Lessons can be learned from =
this 10-year fight as<br> communities pursue owning their own broadband =
infrastructure.<br><br><br><br>--<br> Richard Lowenberg<br> 1st-Mile =
Institute<br> Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504<br> 505-989-9110 / =
505-603-5200<br> www.1st-mile.com<br> rl@1st-mile.com =
_______________________________________________<br>1st-mile-nm mailing =
list<br>1st-mile-nm@mailman.dcn.org =
http://www2.dcn.org/mailman/listinfo/1st-mile-nm<br><br>About the CRACIN =
Discussion Mailing List<br>cracin-canada @ =
vancouvercommunity.net<br>Purpose: news + discussion related directly to =
CRACIN research <br>Members: Core Research Team + graduate students + =
others who are (becoming) directly involved with CRACIN research =
activities (e.g. other government partners, private sector partners, and =
those invited based on their expression of interest). It is the main =
ongoing forum for CRACIN research discussion.<br><br>List info and =
admin: http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists<br>CRACIN home page: =
http://www.cracin.ca </div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>=
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