The Promiseof Advanced Services

A Broadband World:

ALLIANCE FOR PUBLIC TECHNOLOGY

The Alliance for Public Technology (APT) is a nonprofit organization of public interest groupsand individuals. APT’s members work together to foster broad access to affordable, usableinformation and communications services and technology.

Board of Directors:Paul Schroeder, President Bong Hwan KimDebbie Goldman, Public Policy Chair Peter MillerAllen S. Hammond, IV, Treasurer Eli Noam, Ph.D.Esther Shapiro, Secretary Hilary SheltonJackie Brand Marta Sotomayor, Ph.D.Roger Cazares Max E. Stachura, M.D.Linda Weatherspoon Haithcox Barbara SteinTeresa Hopkins Leroy Watson

BENTON FOUNDATION

The mission of the Benton Foundation is to articulate a public interest vision for the digitalage and to demonstrate the value of communications for solving social problems.

Board of Directors: Staff:Charles Benton, Chairman Rachel AndersonShelley Benton Andy CarvinWorth Bruntjen, Treasurer Norris DickardElizabeth Daley Massimo GigliTerry Goddard Roshani KothariHenry M. Rivera, General Counsel Michael LitzHarold A. Richman Karen MenichelliTerry Tinson Saario Kristi Plahn-GjersvoldAndrea L. Taylor Rosemarie PooleWoodward Wickham Alison Raphael

Elissa ShapiroTrustees: Andrea L. TaylorCharles Benton Anthony G. WilhelmMarjorie C. BentonLeonard Schrager

This report was made possible with generous support from the AT&T Foundation.

APT and the Benton Foundation would like to thank the Communications Workers of America(CWA) for printing this document.

We also wish to thank the representatives from the programs profiled here for their help inconstructing the case studies and their dedication to their communities. Their work is theembodiment of the true value of broadband. Our thanks also to those who reviewed draftsof the document and contributed to its production.

2003 Alliance for Public Technology and Benton FoundationISBN 1-930615-06-X

www.apt.org

www.benton.org

The Alliance for Public TechnologyThe Benton Foundation

Authored by Matthew D. Bennett

A Broadband World:The Promiseof Advanced Services

TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ..................................... 5

Case Studies

Integrated Learning....................................................................... 11Worker Training ............................................................................. 13College Online .............................................................................. 17Prison Telemedicine ...................................................................... 19Telemedicine to the Home............................................................. 21Public Safety ................................................................................. 24Real Time Sign Language Interpreting ............................................ 26Building Community Networks ...................................................... 28Broadband on Wheels ................................................................... 30Wireless Broadband through the Snow........................................... 32Infotricity ...................................................................................... 34Rural Community Development ..................................................... 36

Delivering the Promise............................. 39

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

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Broadband is the word of the day. High-speed, high-capacity, always-on, interac-tive services are universally regarded asthe future of telecommunications. Thepotential for broadband is enormous. Theapplications made possible, such as tele-medicine, distance learning, real time signlanguage interpreting and others, offer in-novative ways to live, work and learn.

Yet there is still a perception that broad-band is about speed. Most discussions ofthe technology center around who is pro-viding it and who isn’t subscribing to it.Demand is referred to as the biggestproblem in broadband today. Services areavailable, but people are not signing up.It is said there is no “killer” application(killer app) to convince people they needbroadband.

This is true, there is no single killer app. Infact, there are countless applications thatare tremendously valuable. For a patientin rural Georgia who needs specializedhealth care from an urban hospital, tele-medicine is a killer app. For students in alow-income school district who have text-books that are older than they are, dis-tance learning that connects them to daz-zling research and resources is a killer app.Broadband’s power lies in the flexibilityof the technology. It can be used by dif-ferent people and communities to ad-dress different problems in different ways.

The Alliance for Public Technology (APT)and the Benton Foundation seek to dem-onstrate the value of broadband by ex-amining these different uses. It is impera-tive to showcase the applications made

possible by the technology so that agreater understanding can be achievedand that efforts can be dedicated to mak-ing the technology available and acces-sible for all.

APT and its members have consistentlycalled for universal deployment of broad-band and advanced telecommunicationsservices so that the technology can beutilized to benefit all segments of society.APT’s vision of “connecting each to all”(the more people connected to a net-work, the greater the value of the networkitself and the services it enables) guidesthe organization’s work to fulfill the ad-vanced universal service goals of Section706 of the Telecommunications Act of1996. Throughout its history, APT hasworked to expand access to advancedtelecommunications services by high-lighting the consumer interest, througheducational outreach, publications suchas Connecting Each to All and AdvancedServices, Enhanced Lives, and its annualpolicy forum and Susan G. Hadden Pio-neer Awards. APT’s ultimate goal is aworld with ubiquitous access to all formsof telecommunications services, regard-less of economic status, location of resi-dence, functional limitation, or any otherfactor.

The Benton Foundation has a long-stand-ing commitment to the principles of uni-versal service and the expansion of poli-cies to take account of advancing tech-nologies and evolving needs ofunderserved Americans in an informationsociety. In addition to producing the Digi-tal Divide Network

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A BROADBAND WORLD (www.DigitalDivideNetwork.org), an

online collaboration focusing on the eq-uitable deployment of technology,Benton has published a number of semi-nal policy reports addressing key univer-sal service issues, including: LosingGround Bit by Bit: Low Income Communi-ties in the Information Age; Universal Ser-vice: A Historical Perspective and Policies forthe Twenty-First Century; The E-Rate inAmerica; and, Great Expectations: Leverag-ing America’s Investment in EducationalTechnology. Through its work, Benton pro-motes a vision of an inclusive digital soci-ety in which all of its members have ac-cess not only to the latest essential tools,such as broadband, but the training andrelevant content to make productive useof them at home, in school and in theworkplace.

An Ongoing Resource

This document is a continuation of effortsto identify innovative broadband applica-tions and their impact on communities.In 2002, APT published Advanced Services,Enhanced Lives, which contained sevenstories of broadband use. This updatedversion showcases new applications, butalso features those previous studies, in or-der to better demonstrate the variety ofapplications made possible by broad-band services.

As broadband is a dynamic technology,this research is an evolving endeavor.Continuing examination of broadbandapplications is necessary to track both thedevelopments and the barriers. New usesare conceived continuously, and new ob-

stacles to universal deployment and ac-cess arise. Highlighting applications willhelp more people become aware ofbroadband’s benefits and provide toolsthat can assist communities as they seekto enter the broadband world.

The case studies profiled here are broad-band applications and community pro-grams already in place that demonstratethe various uses of broadband and strat-egies for accelerating deployment anduse. With high-speed connections, theseprojects can create connected commu-nities and deliver services that would oth-erwise be impossible. These stories areabout potential. They use broadband ser-vices from different platforms and at dif-ferent speeds. They target different au-diences. But all share a common need forhigh-speed capacity and all strive to im-prove quality of life for their constituen-cies. Without broadband, these applica-tions would be far less useful.

These are the stories of howadvanced services enhance lives.

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What is Broadband?

There are many competing definitions ofbroadband. The Federal CommunicationsCommission (FCC) defines broadband (orhigh speed lines) as Internet services pro-vided at speeds of at least 200 kilobits persecond (Kbps) in one direction. TechNet,a group of high tech industry CEOs, placestrue broadband at 100 megabits per sec-ond (Mbps).1 Other estimates fall some-where in between. But these speeds donot adequately define broadband. Theyare merely components.

Broadband is high-speed, interactive, al-ways-on, two-way communications pro-vided by cable modems, telephone lines,satellites, fixed and terrestrial wireless, andfiber optics to the home. Broadband isnot just faster Internet, a better version ofthe 56 Kbps dial-up services that are uti-lized by the majority of Internet users.Such a definition is far too narrow.

Broadband is more appropriately definedas a connection platform, a gateway to in-formation and services. It can be accessedfrom a home computer, a wirelesshandheld device and soon even accessedby household appliances. In fact, broad-band is whatever the user wants it to be.

Where is Broadband?

Who has access to broadband? What ar-eas of the country are the most and leastconnected? According to the FederalCommunications Commission, broad-band connections rose to 16.2 millionaccess lines at the end of June 2002. 84%of the nation’s zip codes had at least onebroadband subscriber.2 The YankeeGroup reported that wireline broadbandwas available to 75% of U.S. householdsat the end of 2001 and estimated that fig-ure would reach 85% at the end of 2002.3But with this expanded deployment, only10.4% of U.S. households used broad-band in 2001.4

While deployment has increased, the ac-cess to broadband in the United States isstill below that of many other countries.As of December 2001, 51.7% of house-holds in South Korea, 19.7% of house-holds in Canada and 13.4% of householdsin Sweden had access to broadband.5

The United States faces the potential offalling behind other countries in use ofbroadband for improving economicgrowth and delivery of social services.

What barriers have caused the slow de-ployment and limited access? Economicuncertainty and regulatory complexity

1 “TechNet CEOs Call for National Broadband Policy” Press Release, January 15, 20022 Federal Communications Commission, “High Speed Services for Internet Access: Status as of June30, 2002” December 17, 20023 The Yankee Group, “Broadband Access Technology: Whose Number is Up?” September 2001.4 U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Technology Policy, “Understanding Broadband Demand”September 2002.5 Ibid

INTRODUCTION

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A BROADBAND WORLD are two of the prime reasons. The tele-

communications industry is currently suf-fering through a dramatic economicdownturn, with huge financial shortfallsand the loss of hundreds of thousands ofjobs. In such an environment, investmentis curtailed and thus advanced servicesare not deployed because of their highcosts. Second, and a partial cause of theeconomic problems, is a regulatory struc-ture that creates disincentives and con-tinues disparate treatment of broadbandproviders. With rules conceived for avoice and video world, broadband is lim-ited to the slow rollout seen today.

Beyond these issues, broadband is ham-pered by market failures. The market, byits nature, does not serve all customersequally. Many individuals and communi-ties are unable to access services becauseof geography, lack of basic technologyand infrastructure, high subscriptioncosts, and inaccessible platforms forpeople with disabilities. These factorslead to slow, uneven deployment andcause some communities never to beserved at all. In these areas, public policyintervention is necessary to ensure uni-versal, affordable access to broadband.Measures designed to bring services andknowledge to communities where themarket is not working, such as investmentincentives, government grant programs,and subsidies are an important compo-nent of the overall approach to broad-band deployment.

The Policy Context

Broadband policy is a contentious andcomplicated arena. Many competing in-terests offer vastly differing visions of howto deploy advanced services successfullyto all Americans. Jurisdictional difficultiesarise as a number of federal entities,states, and even local governments con-sider various approaches to the problemsin broadband.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 es-tablished rules for the communicationsworld, but it did not devote many re-sources to broadband. The key elementof the Act relating to broadband is Sec-tion 706, which calls for “the deploymenton a reasonable and timely basis of ad-vanced telecommunications capability6

to all Americans” and empowers the Fed-eral Communications Commission (FCC)and state regulatory commissions to em-ploy regulatory measures in pursuit ofthis goal.

Primary action shaping broadband policytoday originates at the FCC, which ischarged with implementing the provi-sions of the Telecommunications Act of1996 and managing an ever-changingenvironment. Currently, the FCC is con-sidering major overhauls of the rules gov-erning broadband. Several proceedingsseek to change the regulatory definitionof broadband and alter frameworks thatgovern competition in the telecommuni-

6 Advanced Telecommunications Capability is defined “without regard to any transmission media ortechnology, as high-speed, switched broadband telecommunications capability that enables users tooriginate and receive high quality voice, data, graphics and video telecommunications using any tech-nology.”

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cations industry. Issues such as open net-works, accessibility requirements, appro-priate investment incentives and the evo-lution of universal service funding mecha-nisms all must be debated.

Congress has also attempted to createpolicy for more effective broadband de-ployment. In the years since passage ofthe Telecommunications Act, many piecesof legislation designed to change howbroadband is governed have been intro-duced. Some offer deregulatory ap-proaches, eliminating rules the Telecom-munications Act and the FCC instituted.Others seek to spur deployment throughfinancial incentives, such as tax credits andgrant and loan programs. Some bills havepassed one house of Congress, othershave languished in committee. However,no comprehensive broadband legislationhas been approved and signed into law.

Broadband is also a major concern forstates and localities. Several states havepassed legislation to deregulate broad-band, others have created ambitiousplans to spur deployment through stateleadership. State regulatory commissionsare working to maintain some control inthe face of the increasing federal action.Local governments are involved withrights of way issues, determining howbroadband providers can construct theirnetworks.

Where do these many actions leavebroadband? Those who would developbroadband applications are unsure if theycan get the bandwidth they require, andcarriers are unwilling to devote large

amounts of capital given the regulatoryand market uncertainty. There are manychallenges that must be overcome in or-der to make the technology and its ben-efits as widely available as possible. Pub-lic policy is critical for ensuring that mar-ket forces work effectively and for inter-vening when the market fails to serve.

INTRODUCTION

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A BROADBAND WORLD What’s At Stake?

The Internet has evolved to become a toolfor economic and social development, aswell as a valuable resource for educationand entertainment. The additional capac-ity of broadband enhances the Internet’sability to provide important services toindividuals and communities, as demon-strated by the profiles contained in thisreport.

America has made great strides in provid-ing Internet access to schools andunderserved communities. However, de-spite these efforts, there is still a wide gapbetween communities on the cuttingedge of technology and those still await-ing their first taste of the Internet. Aswealthier towns and neighborhoods con-nect to broadband networks, many rural,hard-to-reach and underserved commu-nities fall further behind, deprived of a keydevelopmental tool. As knowledge oftechnology becomes increasingly essen-tial, the lack of access to advanced ser-vices will deprive some of the ability toacquire the tools necessary to succeed.There is a tremendous need in all com-munities for training in the “twenty-firstcentury skills” to take advantage of thenew opportunities broadband can pro-vide.

As with the Internet itself, the nation mustrealize the unique value of broadbandaccess. More than just a new vehicle forentertainment, broadband can play animportant role in providing valuable ser-vices — such as telemedicine, distanceeducation, independent living, and even

e-commerce solutions to create more vi-able communities, particularly inunderserved areas.

The following case studies illustrate thepromise of broadband and unique strat-egies for obtaining access.

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INTEGRATED LEARNING

The union of technology and educationis viewed as a natural partnership. Ad-vanced telecommunications services of-fer a vast array of possibilities for learn-ing purposes. Bringing broadband intoschools and classrooms provides teach-ers with tools for enriching the learningexperience and students with opportu-nities to be better prepared for the future.Yet today, while Internet service is avail-able in schools all over the country, it iswidely underused. Simply having an In-ternet connection in a classroom doesnot automatically translate to an en-hanced educational environment. Effortsmust be made to employ the technologyin all possible ways.

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin public schoolsystem sought to utilize broadband to itsfull potential. A large urban school dis-trict, Milwaukee serves 105,000 studentsin 161 elementary, middle, and highschools and employs 6,700 teachers. Asignificant challenge for Milwaukee is thefact that many students come from low-income backgrounds (83% of studentsqualify for reduced or free school lunch)and have had little experience with tech-nology. In the mid 1990s, only one fifthof the city’s classrooms had dial up Inter-net access and few computers were avail-able. Milwaukee sought to upgrade itstechnology infrastructure and exposestudents to both the technology itselfand the wealth of information that wasavailable.

Milwaukee used E-rate (a program cre-ated by the Telecommunications Act of1996 to assist most schools and libraries

in the United States to obtain affordabletele-communications and Internet ac-cess) funds to construct an advancedbroadband network for its schools. Today,over four thousand classrooms have di-rect fiber connections to a wide area net-work and in a short time every singleclassroom in the city will be connected.In 2002, the district implemented a gate-way system that allows the network to beinterconnected and also accessed fromexternal sites.

One of the main uses of the broadbandconnection is interactive video. Fifty-fiveof Milwaukee’s schools have facilities fortwo way video, with some of the devicesbeing portable. This allows students andteachers to communicate in new ways.Whereas previously students might com-municate with other schools or organiza-tions by writing letters, today in Milwau-kee, they plug in video devices and inter-act instantly.

The schools are utilizing the interactivityto augment learning by partnering withoutside groups and placing an emphasison project based learning. A programcalled Classrooms and Courtrooms bringstogether judges and middle school socialstudies students to discuss how the courtsystem works. Discovery World, a localcommunity based organization, offersmath and science programs. Students inthe high schools are reading to elemen-tary school students. Former Milwaukeestudents who are now in college connectwith current students to discuss life afterhigh school.

INTEGRATED LEARNING

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A BROADBAND WORLD This movement beyond simply accessing

information online showcases the trans-formative nature of broadband in theclassroom. Rather than directing stu-dents to websites that might have re-sources and hoping they have the oppor-tunity to use the Internet, the interactivitypresents real time information that bringsclassroom lessons to life.

Beyond learning activities, Milwaukee isusing the technology for administrativeand training purposes. The school districtinstalled integrated attendance and pay-roll systems. Teachers are offered a di-verse selection of training programs, in-cluding online courses on how to inte-grate technology into curriculum as wellas basic courses on uses of the Internet.

Education reaps some of the greatest re-wards from broadband. When the ser-vices are an integral part of the learningprocess, and not merely an addition, theyboth attract students’ attention to thematerial involved and introduce them tothe technology. Developing students’ in-terest in the technology will allow themto become adept users of the systemslater in life. Enhanced learning throughbroadband services offers results todayand countless opportunities for the fu-ture.

RESOURCES:

Milwaukee Public Schoolswww.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/pages/MPS

E-Rate Informationwww.sl.universalservice.org/overview/

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WORKER TRAINING

“For many years I have wanted to go backto school and obtain a degree. My workschedule and family responsibilities havenot provided the extra time necessary to fitin classes at a local university. The onlineAS in Telecommunications program hasgiven me the opportunity to obtain a highereducation, and having a degree withinreach is a dream come true.” - GladysMcGinnis, SBC employee

Workers must be lifelong learners to keepup with changing technology and to ad-vance in their careers. But time, cost, anddistance serve as powerful constraints.Thus, the Internet provides an exciting op-portunity to overcome these barriers,while building on proven models forworker education and training.

The Communications Workers of America(CWA) is a labor organization that repre-sents more than 700,000 employees,most of whom work in high-tech indus-tries. CWA has long recognized that edu-cation and training is key to job securityand career advancement for its members.Starting more than two decades ago,CWA negotiated path breaking educationprograms and financial support for theseprograms with its major telecommunica-tions employers, including AT&T, SBC,Qwest, Verizon, and BellSouth.

With the advent of the Internet, CWA sawyet another opportunity to reach mem-bers and unaffiliated workers with edu-cation and training. CWA now sponsorstwo on-line worker education and train-ing programs. The first, known as the Na-tional Coalition for Telecommunications

Education and Learning (NACTEL) On-Line Telecommunications Associates De-gree Program, is a unique industry-widecollaborative between leading telecom-munications employers and telecommu-nications unions that allows workers totake on-line courses leading to a two-yearAssociate college degree in Telecommu-nications. The second program, known asCWA/nett Academy, provides on-line net-working certification training, includingthe only on-line Cisco certification train-ing program, in combination with hands-on activities directed by trained CWAproctors located in CWA union halls.

The National Coalition for Telecommuni-cations and Learning (NACTEL) is an in-novative industry partnership designedto develop and deliver online educationand training to meet critical employmentneeds in the telecommunications indus-try. Members of NACTEL include CWA, theInternational Brotherhood of ElectricalWorkers (IBEW), Qwest Communications,SBC, Verizon Communications, and Citi-zens Communications. The partnershipwas formed in 1997.

NACTEL works in partnership with PaceUniversity in New York to offer an onlineAssociate Degree (AS) in Telecommunica-tions. The program is administered by theCouncil for Adult and Experiential Learn-ing (CAEL), the nation’s leading adult edu-cation organization. Initial funding forcurriculum development came from a$500,000 grant from the Alfred P. SloanFoundation.

The AS in Telecommunications degree is

WORKER TRAINING

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A BROADBAND WORLD designed to prepare students for a wide

range of technical positions in the tele-communications industry. A joint curricu-lum committee comprised of members ofthe companies, the unions, and the uni-versity develops and revises the curricu-lum for each course. In addition to theAS Degree, the program offers two cer-tificates, Introduction to Telecommunica-tions, and Telecommunications Essentials,as stand-alone options.

The entire program runs online, includingapplication, assessment, ordering books,coursework, and communication with fel-low students and faculty. An initial orien-tation course walks students through thenecessary technical specifications. Cur-rently, the minimum recommended tech-nical requirements are a computer withsufficient memory, a printer, and dial-upInternet access.

Because most students do not havebroadband connections at home, distri-bution of materials and on-line commu-nications are designed for dial-upnarrowband users. For example, videodemonstrations for courses that would behands-on in a classroom are providedonline or are mailed, depending upon theduration of the presentations and thebandwidth requirements (long presenta-tions are mailed, short presentations maybe streamed on the Internet). Accordingto program administrators, broadbandwould allow them to do many things theycannot do now, such as streaming audio-visual material or conducting real-timetwo-way conversations among studentsand faculty.

The program is structured around theconcept of asynchronous learning: stu-dents can go online anytime to do thework, but must meet specific assignmentdeadlines. There are online threaded dis-cussion groups among students and in-teraction with faculty. In fact, faculty re-port that e-mail allows them to interactmore with their online students than theyoften do with students in the classroomenvironments

Students who are CWA or IBEW memberstake advantage of negotiated tuition as-sistance programs with their major tele-communications employers that coverthe costs of tuition and books. Qwest al-lows students to use computers at work,if necessary. CWA or IBEW memberswhose employers do not have tuition as-sistance programs receive tuition dis-counts because they are union members.

As of January 2002, the AS Degree com-pleted its third year with over 2,000 indi-vidual students having participated in theNACTEL program. Eight students gradu-ated in 2001, and many more graduateswere expected in May 2002. Completionrates in courses average almost 90%. Stu-dents range in age from 21-55, with themean age being in their late 30s. Morethan 40% of those participating arewomen.

Three factors lead to the success of thisprogram. First, it is industry-wide. Sec-ond, it is accessible, with Internet deliveryallowing students from anywhere to learnat any time. Third, it is directly linked tothe employment needs in the industry. In

15

sum, the program combines best prac-tices in worker education with the advan-tages of on-line delivery.

CWA has also initiated a unique on-lineeducation program to improve the shillsof members and military personnel incomputer networking. The program isdesigned to deliver on-line networkingcertification training, with supplementalhands-on activities in labs located in CWAunion halls and proctored by trained CWAtechnicians. The CWA/nett Academy isthe only on-line Cisco certification train-ing program. The program operates inpartnership with Stanly Community Col-lege of Albemarle, N.C. Stanly providesinstructors, counseling, and program ac-creditation.

The CWA/nett Academy offers a variety oftraining and certification courses. The A+Certification covers repairing, servicingand upgrading computers and peripher-als. The CCNA (Cisco certified network as-sociate) training consists of two coursesthat prepare students for the CCNA exam.In addition, there are courses in UNIXleading toward Sun Microsystems certifi-cation; basic computer literacy; and aMicrosoft Office User Specialist (MOUS)certification. A new course in telecommu-nications cabling leading to a BuildingIndustry Consulting Service International(BICSI) certification was to be offered bymid-year 2002.

One unique feature of the CWA/nettAcademy is that the online coursework issupplemented by hands-on assistance inone of 11 proctored labs located in CWA

local union halls around the country. CWAtechnicians, trained by Stanly CommunityCollege, serve as lab proctors, assistingstudents with hands-on activities such asbuilding a computer or cable routertroubleshooting. The A+ certificationclass and the CCNA classes include 16hours of proctored lab time. The equip-ment in the labs was provided by Ciscoand CWA.

Students enrolled in CWA/nett Academyclasses have the opportunity to interacton-line with faculty and students througha virtual classroom website that includese-mail postings, chat areas, whiteboards,community postings, and links to stu-dents’ web sites. Stanly’s instructors haveused the web site to set up flexible chatrooms allowing discussion among stu-dents and teachers. This web-based com-munication vehicle differentiates thecourse from a traditional correspondencecourse.

Most enrolled students have narrowbandInternet access; on-line activities assumethis level of connectivity. In a broadbandenvironment, the program could expandto include more multi-media interactionand distribution.

The CWA/nett Academy has enrolled 450students in its first 18 months. CWA mem-bers working for major telecommunica-tions employers can use their negotiatededucation benefits to pay for tuition andcourse materials. In a few sites, full schol-arships are available through the federalgovernment’s H-1B worker training funds.

WORKER TRAINING

A BROADBAND WORLD

16

On-line delivery has allowed the CWA/nett Academy to reach many more stu-dents at a fraction of the cost of more tra-ditional classroom programs. The CWA/nett Academy program continues togrow and evolve to meet the needs oftoday’s high-tech workforce.

RESOURCES:

On asynchronous distance learning:http://www.aln.org/

On CWA’s online education and trainingprograms and partnerships:http://www.cwa-union.org/jobs/training.aspor http://www.cwanett.org

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COLLEGE ONLINE

Education has traditionally been limitedto students and teachers in a classroomsetting. The need for direct interactionhas always demanded physical proximity.However, communications technologyexpands the reach of education to homes,offices and other non-education environ-ments. Distance learning has become anew tool in education, bringing the teach-ers and curriculum to students regardlessof location, and increasing opportunitiesfor lifelong learning.

Distance learning programs are now uti-lized at all grade levels from pre-Kthrough college. Educational materialsare available either online or throughvideo transmissions. Students who areunable to attend school, either becauseof distance, medical conditions or otherimpediments are now empowered tocontinue their educational pursuits.Adults who desire to obtain further edu-cation but who do not have the time toreturn to school are able to learn fromwork or home.

Old Dominion University (ODU), locatedin Norfolk, Virginia, operatesTELETECHNET, one of the largest univer-sity distance learning programs in thecountry. It began as a satellite based pro-gram, transmitting interactive images ofclasses to over fifty sites in Virginia, Indi-ana, Georgia, Washington, D.C., Arizona,North Carolina and Washington state. Inspring 2000, ODU decided to offer inter-active degree programs viavideostreaming. Live courses would beavailable over the Internet to students notserved by the satellite locations.

The program was tested using 56 Kbpsmodems, and during the spring and sum-mer 2000 semesters, several hundred stu-dents participated. However, it was soondiscovered that the low bandwidth trans-mission was not sufficient. The programnow requires students to have broad-band connections, such as DSL, cablemodem or LAN. The students must alsohave computers capable of displaying fullmotion video.

Online students have direct interactionwith the professor and the other students,using Lotus Sametime software, whichenables chat features. The online stu-dents can type in their questions or com-ments, which are then read aloud in theclass by an instruction assistant.

The videostreaming project offers under-graduate degrees in Computer Science,Professional Communication, MechanicalEngineering, Nursing, and Business Ad-ministration and a graduate degree inSpecial Education. Students who wish toparticipate in the videostreaming pro-gram take introductory level courses atODU, community colleges throughoutVirginia, or other accredited colleges oruniversities. These students then enrollin the videostreaming program and taketheir advanced level courses online.

Online courses for spring 2002 are trans-mitted live and each session is three hoursin length. If the distance learning stu-dents are unable to attend a class at itsregular time, the transmission is archivedand available two days after the session.Online education provides amazing op-

COLLEGE ONLINE

A BROADBAND WORLD

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portunities for current students and thosewho wish to become students again.Technology has opened these possibili-ties. But distance learning via videostreaming and the Internet requiresbandwidth. A student cannot reap the fullbenefits of attending a class online if thevideo transmission is slow and frag-mented or if he or she cannot ask a ques-tion in real time. For distance learning tobe truly successful, the students outsidethe classroom must engage themselvesin the same fashion as those studentsphysically present. Broadband connec-tions provide distance students full accessto the classroom.

Distance learning can fundamentallychange education. Incorporating morestudents into learning environments canlead to a better-trained workforce andmore informed citizenry. When given theopportunity, many people will return toschool via distance learning programs,because they are convenient and allowflexibility for the student who is also aparent, employee, etc. It allows for greateraccess to resources, as students with par-ticular interests and abilities can learnfrom experts anywhere in the world. To-gether, technology and education canhelp build strong communities and en-able Americans to learn everyday.

RESOURCES:

Old Dominion University TELETECHNETDistance Learning Programwww.odu.edu/home/distance.html

United States Distance Learning Asso-ciation www.usdla.org

Distance Learning Resource Networkwww.dlrn.org

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PRISON TELEMEDICINE

Broadband provides opportunities toovercome barriers, create cost-effectivestrategies, and provide needed services.Advanced telecommunications technol-ogy can lead to many benefits when it isapplied to problems that have gone un-resolved in the past. Broadband is not thesolution itself, rather it empowers institu-tions to use technology as a componentof their overall approach.

The Georgia Department of Correctionssought to utilize broadband to reducecosts and improve access to medical ser-vices at its facilities. The state currentlyhouses 47,342 inmates and medical careis an important aspect of prison adminis-tration. Partnering with the Medical Col-lege of Georgia (MCG), the Departmentof Corrections established a telemedicinesystem for its prisons, allowing for remotetreatment of inmates. In 1993, the Depart-ment of Corrections began creating andimplementing the framework. After sev-eral years of limited operations, the sys-tem was rebuilt, still in cooperation withMCG. In 2001, the Department of Correc-tions assumed full time responsibility forthe network.

Today, the program services eleven pris-ons. Two of the facilities, one for men andthe other for women, serve as hub siteswhere the specialty consultants are lo-cated. A Telemedicine Site Coordinatorand a nurse staff each remote site. Theinmates at the other nine facilities, ratherthan be transported to a central medicalfacility, are examined using telemedicine.

The prisons are connected by T-1 linesprovided by BellSouth at a cost of$355,000 per year. Each facility isequipped with a telemedicine platformthat supports medical devices such aselectric stethoscopes, opthoscopes, andotoscopes, and can be used for viewingx-rays and teleconferencing betweensites. With these tools, the medical per-sonnel of the Department of Correctionscan perform telepsychology services,conduct dermatological exams, and treatinfectious diseases (HIV and Hepatitis C).In addition to the telemedicine functions,the prisons are using their broadbandconnections for distance learning appli-cations. GED preparation courses are of-fered using video presentations fromteachers outside the prison. Approxi-mately 10% of inmates in education pro-grams participate in the distance learn-ing.

In 2001, the cost for transporting a maleprisoner roundtrip from a remote facilityto the central medical prison was $203.Using the telemedicine system, the De-partment of Corrections has been able tosignificantly reduce the number of pris-oners that had to be transported formedical treatment. In FY 2002, the tele-medicine system conducted 1,651 medi-cal consults. So far in FY 2003, there havebeen 2,822 consults. If each of those con-sults had been transported to the centralprison, it would have cost the state ofGeorgia $572,866. Compare these sav-ings to the cost of the broadband connec-tion ($355,000) and it is clear that the tele-medicine system is more than paying foritself.

PRISON TELEMEDICINE

A BROADBAND WORLD

20

Beyond financial savings, the telemedi-cine system is increasing public safety.While difficult to quantify, it is certainlybeneficial to have prisoners remain intheir facility rather than be transported.The fewer number of excursions beyondthe prison walls reduces the possibility ofescapes and the strain on prison staff.

The Department of Corrections is consid-ering expanding the program to includeadditional specialties such astelecardiology and further use oftelepshycology services. There is also dis-cussion of developing a system for urgentcare treatment of prisoners, modeled onthe Electronic Housecall telemedicineprogram used by the Medical College ofGeorgia for in-home care of chronic dis-ease patients.

Broadband goes far beyond transmittingdata. It offers solutions to complex pub-lic policy problems. Combining its at-tributes of speed and continuity withubiquity (once deployment is universal),the technology can be of great value tosociety at large as an adaptable tool inte-grated into many arenas where tradi-tional methods require innovative ap-proaches to address modern issues.

RESOURCES:

Georgia Department of Correctionswww.dcor.state.ga.us

National Institute of Justice evaluationof prison telemedicine networks http://www.ncjrs.org/telemedicine/toc.html

National Commission on CorrectionalHealth Care http://www.ncchc.org/links/telemedicine.html

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TELEMEDICINE TO THE HOME

Telemedicine, as defined by the AmericanTelemedicine Association, is “the use ofmedical information exchanged from onesite to another via electronic communi-cations for the health and education ofthe patient or healthcare provider and forthe purpose of improving patient care.”7

As communications technology devel-oped in the 1990s, telemedicine enjoyeda rapid growth. In 1991, the Associationof Telehealth Service Providers (ATSP)identified three telemedicine programsoperating in North America. In 2001, thenumber of programs identified had risento 206. In 1999, ATSP estimated 74,828telemedicine consults, excluding radiol-ogy work, occurred. This number in-creased from the 1997 figure of 41,740telemedicine consults.8 As more Ameri-cans are able to utilize advanced telecom-munications technology, telemedicinewill continue to grow as a medical tool.

Dr. Max Stachura is an endocrinologist inAugusta, Georgia. He treats chronic dis-eases such as diabetes. Broadband andhigh-speed data transmissions have notbeen tools he carried in his doctor’s bag.In the mid 1990s, Dr. Stachura assumedresponsibility for the Telemedicine Cen-ter at the Medical College of Georgia(MCG) where a statewide telemedicineprogram, supported by MCG and thestate of Georgia had been underway forseveral years. A fledgling program to ad-dress home health care, supported byfederal research dollars through the De-

partment of the Army, state money fromMCG and from the Georgia Research Alli-ance, also was being discussed. A steer-ing committee comprised of representa-tives from the three collaborating institu-tions - the Fort Gordon/Eisenhower ArmyMedical Center (EAMC), Georgia Instituteof Technology (GIT), and MCG – was as-sembled and tasked to put together aplan for a telemedicine program in homecare of chronic disease that would yieldtangible results. Funding requirementsstipulated that the work be based on ex-isting technologies, and not research intonew systems.

Telemedicine today makes use of a vari-ety of both home health monitoring de-vices/systems and health care facilities-based systems that connect rural primarycare facilities to specialty consultationservices. It augments current medicalservices by using technology to makecare more accessible to the patient, morecost effective, and by giving the healthcare system more flexibility. Both providerand patient are empowered to manageconditions in the best possible manner.

Traditional healthcare has always beenface-to-face between doctor and patient.The doctor uses traditional diagnostic in-struments, such as stethoscopes andblood pressure cuffs to assess and treatwhatever ailments the patient has. But insome settings this system encountersobstacles, distance and time restraints

7 “Toward A Rapidly Evolving Definition of Telemedicine,” http://www.americantelemed.org/news/newres.htm8 Association of Telehealth Service Providers, 1999 and 2001 ATSP Reports on U.S. TelemedicineActivity, www.atsp.org

TELEMEDICINE TO THE HOME

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A BROADBAND WORLD being two of the most pressing. The pa-

tient has to travel to reach the doctor andreceives care by appointment except formore serious conditions where requiredtreatment occurs in an emergency facil-ity.

The team with whom Dr. Stachura wasworking was one of several groups try-ing to bring these two concepts together.They had to envision how doctor andpatient might interact through a technol-ogy interface. They had to address therate of data transmission. At that timetransmission over regular phone lineswas too slow and unacceptable. ISDNconnections were costly and not availableto every home. Finally, they reached anagreement with the local cable operator,who offered them dedicated bi-direc-tional transmission. In 1996, they de-ployed a feasibility test of the system theyhad created into 25 homes in Augusta,Georgia, the “Electronic HouseCall Sys-tem” (EHC).

EHC was a two-way system with one unitin the patient’s home and the other lo-cated at MCG or EAMC. The patient unitrequired no computer sophistication (nomouse or keyboard) and used a touchscreen instead. From the home unit, thepatient could check his or her pulse, bloodpressure, blood oxygenation, tempera-ture, glucose levels and heart functionwith a modified lead 2 electrocardiogramwithout connecting to medical staff. Thisinformation was then sent to the medi-cal staff. The patient and provider couldalso interact on-line through avideoconference activated by touching

the appropriate icon. Once connected,the clinician could use a stethophone toexpand examination of the patient. Eventhough the system was originally con-ceived as a tool to help monitor and man-age known chronic diseases, rather thana tool for diagnostic assessment of a newpatient, the utility of the system was inmany ways tied to available bandwidth.For example, less than full motion videois not acceptable in certain medical situ-ations. With broadband capability, theEHC system could incorporate a widerarray of monitoring tools such as spirom-eters, fetal heart monitors and uterineactivity monitors.

There were stories of success during thefeasibility deployment. One patient whopreviously was admitted to the hospitalevery three or four months, was able toavoid hospitalizations during ninemonths on the EHC system because prob-lems were detected early and resolvedduring a doctor’s office visit scheduled asa result. Not long after the completion ofthe funded feasibility study, MCG and GITlicensed the patented EHC technology toindustry (CyberCare, Inc.).

Now the MCG Telemedicine Center is ex-ploring the breadth and depth of healthservice applications that can be en-hanced through the use of a variety oftelemedicine technologies. The EHC isjust a single example of how telemedicinetechnologies can be used to enhance ac-cess to health care services and poten-tially reduce their over-all cost. EHC ad-dresses chronic disease management,where both patient and care provider

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know the condition being managed. Itrequires broadband capability for optimalvideo and data transmission. However,development of advanced health careservices are unlikely without dedicatedhigh-speed connections. Current incar-nations such as DSL and cable modemsare acceptable, but still limit the scope ofpotential applications. With generalbandwidth availability, telemedicine tech-nologies can be used to expand accessto medical services and explore the de-livery of more sophisticated medical ser-vices.

There are significant unresolved ques-tions raised by the possibilities created bytelemedicine. For example, medical licens-ing: health care providers currently arelicensed by the state in which they prac-tice. How should we address the poten-tial for caring for people across state andeven national boundaries? There arefunding issues: how shall we pay for theinfrastructure required by telemedicine?These questions will be answered as thecapability, utility, and potential of tele-medicine evolves, and as familiarity andcomfort make telemedicine more com-monplace in medical care and treatment.Telemedicine does not replace in-personface-to-face health care; it is a multi-fac-eted tool to be employed, when appro-priate, to enhance the delivery of healthcare services.

Regardless of these questions, the poten-tial benefits of telemedicine are many. Atits most fundamental level, telemedicinefrees both the patient and the providerfrom brick and mortar limitations. The

patient can address medical needs as nec-essary. The doctor is not limited to hisoffice. In providing flexibility, telemedi-cine holds the potential to greatly in-crease cost effectiveness. Health carecosts have skyrocketed in recent years;telemedicine offers a way to lower costsfor both the patient and the provider. Itsjudicious use and application holds thepromise of reducing the frequency and/or duration of hospital stays, reducing thefrequency of physical office and homehealth care visits, expanding service avail-ability to a greater number of patients ata lesser unit cost through more efficientuse of provider time and facilities, and bygenerally supporting communitywellness.

Dr. Stachura sums up the goal of tele-medicine best – “Services to those whoneed them, where and when they needthem.”

RESOURCES:

Medical College of Georgia Telemedi-cine Center http://www.mcg.edu/Telemedicine/Index.html

American Telemedicine Associationhttp://www.americantelemed.org

Association of Telehealth Service Pro-viders http://www.atsp.org

U.S. Department of Health and HumanServices, Health Resources and ServicesAdministration, Office of the Advance-ment of Telehealthhttp://telehealth.hrsa.gov/

TELEMEDICINE TO THE HOME

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A BROADBAND WORLD

PUBLIC SAFETY

Fighting fires is a dangerous business. Itrequires discipline, hard work, trainingand quick reactions. Firefighters dependon knowledge of the situation they arefacing when they enter burning build-ings, so that they may make importantdecisions about combating the fire. Thelikelihood that a firefighter will save a lifeor avoid a catastrophe is determined byresponse time, which is measured in sec-onds. It can take only an instant for a fireto rage out of control and become deadly.

But what if firefighters could be equippedwith the information they need beforethey get to the fire? What if they couldget to the fire faster, be informed of thelayout and structure of the building andhave rapid communications with theother emergency vehicles involved? Suchinnovations would give firefighters anadvantage that would allow them to ad-dress the situation more efficiently andafford better opportunities to control thefire with no casualties and minimal dam-age.

The fire department in Winston-Salem,North Carolina, took the steps to givetheir firefighters these tools. In October1996, the Winston-Salem Fire Departmentreceived a TIIAP grant (the precursor tothe Technology Opportunities Programgrants) from the U.S. Department of Com-merce. This money funded the IntegratedNetwork Fire Operations (INFO) project,whose goal was to provide critical infor-mation in graphical form to thefirefighters in the emergency vehicles.

The city’s emergency vehicles were

equipped with laptop computers thatcould display maps, building layouts, hy-drant locations and the status of otheremergency vehicles. The laptops in eachtruck are connected via mobile wirelesstechnology at 19.2 Kbps. Current mobilewireless broadband has average trans-mission speeds of 14.4 Kbps, with the an-ticipated 3G technology expected to takethis speed up to 2 Mbps. The laptopsserve as direct communications links be-tween the emergency vehicles and thedispatch center, as well as between ve-hicles. The firefighters interface with thesystem via touch screen icons and thistransmission of data frees up communi-cation over the traditional radio system.

Data is transmitted to the emergency ve-hicle from Winston-Salem’s E911 Com-puter-Aided Dispatch (CAD) mainframesystem. The CAD identifies the nearestfire vehicles for the incident type and lo-cation. The address of the emergency, de-tails on the incident, status of other re-sponding units, pre-fire survey data, infor-mation on possible hazardous materialsinvolved, existence of gas and water lines,condition of occupants at the location,and other data transmits from the CADto the on-board computer.

When a fire alarm is initiated, thefirefighters are immediately able to viewthe optimal route to the location. The cityutilized global positioning satellite (GPS)technology to create a street centerlinecoverage that the computers then use todetermine the fastest route to the emer-gency. The laptops in the emergency ve-hicles use the Geographical Information

25

System (GIS) applications, which deter-mine the route based on speed limits,one-way streets, turning movements al-lowed, etc. The GIS software also can alertthe firefighters to any impediments onthe route, such as downed power lines,and then create an alternate route.

Each fire station is connected to acitywide ISDN network and thefirefighters constantly update informa-tion on their areas of responsibility. Datacollected from building inspections, newconstruction and other information thatis routinely changing are added to thesystem.

Before the INFO project, all the informa-tion was compiled in binders that werekept in each emergency vehicle and thebinders held information for that vehicle’shome territory. If the vehicle had to re-spond to a large-scale emergency in an-other section of the city, the firefighterswould have no advance knowledge ofthat location. The INFO project allows thefire department to respond to an emer-gency with a strong knowledge about thesituation. Firefighters can be equally pre-pared for action even when they areworking at a station that is not their usualassignment, as is often the case in largedepartments.

Communications technology has allowedthe Winston-Salem Fire Department torevolutionize its services. With enhancedinformation, firefighters are able to con-trol emergency situations and protectcommunities better than ever. As trans-mission speeds increase, along with other

technological advances, firefighters willhave even more tools. Imagine if eachfirefighter was equipped with a wirelessdevice that could transmit his or her ex-act location in a building, as well as vitalsigns, water pressure on the hose andoxygen remaining in the airpack. If thatfirefighter needed assistance or was in-jured, other firefighters could immedi-ately respond, based on information dis-played on the computer in the emer-gency vehicle or on another handhelddevice. The key to fighting fires is react-ing quickly to changing situations. Infor-mation transmitted at high speeds givesfirefighters the ability to respond asquickly as possible.

RESOURCES:

City of Winston-Salem Fire Departmentwww.cityofws.org/fire

Technology Opportunities Program(TOP) www.ntia.doc.gov/top

PUBLIC SAFETY

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A BROADBAND WORLD

REAL TIME SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING

Sign language interpreters have becomecommonplace in society. They are oftenseen on television and at meetings andconventions. But where they are not seen,and often are in the most use, is in the ev-eryday activities of people who are deaf.These individuals need interpreters forroutine tasks, such as going to the doctoror even just having a conversation with afriend. This process requires schedulingan appointment with an interpretingagency, coordinating this with thedoctor’s appointment or the schedules ofother people involved in the activity, wait-ing for the interpreter to arrive and thenperhaps still being unable to finish a con-versation if the interpreter has to leave foranother client.

These problems are still great for thosewho are deaf, compounded in most areasof the country where the number of in-terpreters is relatively small, but there isan alternative.

Sign Language Associates (SLA) of SilverSpring, Maryland, is a full service interpret-ing agency. It was founded in 1982 andtoday has a staff of 48 full time interpret-ers. They provide interpreters for meet-ings, conferences, performing arts shows,emergency situations, hospices and indi-vidual needs. The cost for these in-per-son interpreters is $150 for the first hourand $40 for each additional hour. Clientsmust pay for the full hour and travel costsfor the interpreters.

In the early 1990s, SLA began investigat-ing video conferencing as a medium forremote interpreting. However, the equip-

ment was prohibitively expensive and thevideo technology was not suitable forsign language. By 1996, several pilot pro-grams were being tested as the technol-ogy had developed to the point wheretransmission was clear enough and fastenough to accommodate the visual lan-guage. In 1997, SLA began offering theVideo Interpreting Program (VIP).

VIP is an ISDN video conferencing system,which transmits data and images at 384Kbps. This speed is necessary to avoiddrag images and to ensure that both theinterpreter and the client can view the in-tricate hand movements of sign lan-guage. The interpreter works from SLA’soffices and the client can be anywhere, solong as their location has the videoconferencing devices and a high speedconnection. The ISDN connection re-quires two pieces of equipment, a Coder/Decoder and an NT-1 box, both of whichcome standard with video conferencingpackages. Since 1997, SLA has upgradedthe system to include an IP connection,but again the client must have a high-speed service to access VIP over the In-ternet.

The price for the VIP service is a $50 res-ervation fee and then $2.50 per minute.The benefits of the system are two fold.First, the client only pays for the timeneeded. If they only need interpreting fora fifteen-minute conversation, with VIPthey do not have to pay for a full hour.Clients can utilize the system when andhow they need, without being tied to theschedule of the interpreter. The interpret-ers can serve more clients by not losing

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time in travel between sites.

As technology develops, SLA is research-ing home-based systems that would beinexpensive and highly efficient for manyclients. Currently, most video interpret-ing is done with business and govern-ment clients because they have the nec-essary video conferencing equipmentand the broadband connection.

The possibilities for video sign languageinterpretation are immense. Primarily, itallows for complete independence forpeople who are deaf. With increasingwireless options, people who are deafcould take handheld devices with themand at any time connect to an interpreterfor whatever time needed. They can haveconversations in private using sign lan-guage with other deaf individuals, a farmore effective and appropriate means ofcommunication than impersonal and dif-ficult written communication over TTYsor message services. On an institutionallevel, hospitals would not need to haveemergency arrangements for interpret-ers, they could use a video connection inthe emergency room. Schools could haveall classes interpreted. And the list goeson.

Broadband is a tool that enables manyforms of communications. As the adventof technologies such as cellular phonesand email have brought us into greatercommunication with each other, the riseof broadband and advanced services pro-vides opportunities to live and work effi-ciently and independently.

RESOURCES:

Sign Language Associateswww.signlanguage.com

Telecommunications for the Deafwww.tdi-online.org

Polycom View Station (provider of thevideo conferencing equipment)www.polycom.com

SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING

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A BROADBAND WORLD

BUILDING COMMUNITY NETWORKS

Community networking is a key aspect ofbroadband deployment. Connecting lo-cal centers of activity is an important stepin accelerating universal access to ad-vanced services and delivering a widerange of services to local residents. Net-works gain value as more people are con-nected and communities can grow dra-matically through interactions made pos-sible by advanced telecommunicationstechnology. Community centers can jointogether to develop broadband connec-tivity and thereby provide the first pointsof access to the technology and create anenvironment when underserved popula-tions can explore the broadband world.Equipping community access points withbroadband is also an effective way to pro-vide training and instruction to commu-nity members who might otherwise nothave the skills to utilize the applicationsmade possible by advanced telecommu-nications services.

Community leaders in metropolitan Bos-ton identified a need and demand for ac-cessible locally informative, multi-lingualand multi-cultural content based in ad-vanced telecommunications technology.Collaborators in the project envisioned anintegrated approach involving simulta-neous development of a dynamic broad-band infrastructure, an increase in theamount of relevant broadband contentthat engages all segments of the commu-nity, and provision of access, education,training and support in advanced tech-nologies and applications. To realize thisvision, local institutions joined togetherto form the Greater Boston BroadbandNetwork (GBBN), a model of how commu-

nities can work together to create a com-prehensive public information systemthat uses broadband to address theneeds and interest of underserved com-munities.

Today, the project is called the Common-wealth Broadband Collaborative and iscomprised of many local communitytechnology groups, including the UMass/Boston College of Public and CommunityService, Boston Neighborhood Network,the Technology Center at Codman SquareHealth Center, Cambridge CommunityTelevision, Somerville Community AccessTelevision, Malden Access Television, theLowell Telecommunications Corporation,CTCNet, and the Northeast Region of theAlliance for Community Media.

Building on the state university’s institu-tional network, which extends to keycommunity points in Boston and Lowelland connects the campuses, and the fi-ber connection between Cambridge andSomerville that was established in theircable franchise agreements with AT&TBroadband (now Comcast AT&T), theCommonwealth Broadband Collabora-tive provides high-speed links to commu-nity organizations. The connection ofthese community access centers allowsunprecedented collaboration in digitalmedia.

On November 15, 2001, the Common-wealth Broadband Collaborativelaunched its first program, “The Politics ofPublic Access Cable and the CommunityTechnology Movement.” The presenta-tion included a live performance in the in-

29

teractive distance learning center atUMass Boston and participantsteleconferenced in from Florida. Fromthere, it was cablecast by the BostonNeighborhood Network, and sent via thefiber optic network to the distance edu-cation center at UMass/Lowell where itwas distributed to an international audi-ence via webstreaming. Finally, an onlinechat was inserted into the live event. Itwas truly integrated multimedia, requir-ing broadband for execution and distri-bution. This would not have been pos-sible without the community connec-tions the Collaborative had fostered.

As the Collaborative seeks to grow, it islooking for methods to generate greateraccess to high-speed services for accesscenters, community technology centersand non-profits. The members plan addi-tional programming, including a projectcalled “First Tuesday” which will covercommunity technology developmentand will be presented in a similar formatas the earlier programs. The program willbe cablecast and Webcast on the firstTuesday of every month, beginning onFebruary 4, 2003. Also under consider-ation is implementation of a video-on-demand system, where content can beaccessed at any time.

The Commonwealth Broadband Collabo-rative has modeled the creation of a verynew public space – simultaneouscablecasting over local community cablechannels in the region combined withuniversal distribution via Webcasting andlive interactive audience participation. Asmore community centers express inter-

est in becoming involved, the group isexploring avenues to extend the univer-sity telecommunications infrastructureand access the existing network that sup-ports the municipal cable systems. Alongwith the development of this broadbanddistribution system, the convergence ofcommunity technology centers develop-ing advanced multi-media applicationsand cable access centers migrating to-ward digital video drives the need for newbroadband connections as well. Thequalitative change and development ofthe content will be reflected in a compari-son of the previous programming and thenew “First Tuesday” series.

The Commonwealth Broadband Collabo-rative demonstrates how communitybased organizations can work in conjunc-tion to address the media, informationand technology needs of their neighbor-hoods. Broadband provides the tools forthese organizations to connect to eachother, create content, reach out to theunderserved areas and build strongerbonds in the community. This fusion ofdelivery and content showcases the po-tential of broadband as a vehicle for com-munity development.

RESOURCES:

Commonwealth Broadband Collabora-tive www.cpcs.umb.edu/cmt/cbcmedia

CTCNet www.ctcnet.org

BUILDING COMMUNITY NETWORKS

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A BROADBAND WORLD

BROADBAND ON WHEELS

A growing problem in the provision ofbroadband Internet connections is thewidening gap between information richand information poor. It is costly to sub-scribe to most broadband services andmany low-income Americans are unableto obtain access in their homes. Yet theseAmericans have great opportunities avail-able through broadband, including medi-cal information, job training and continu-ing education.

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, people in low-income neighborhoods have broadbandrolling up to their doors. In October 2001,the Grand Rapids Community Media Cen-ter (CMC) unveiled MOLLIE, the MobileLearning Lab for Information Education.This “broadband on wheels” will travel tolow-income neighborhoods and schoolsto provide computer training and access.MOLLIE was made possible by fundingfrom SBC/Ameritech, a $234,000 grantfrom the U.S. Department of Educationand matching funds raised by CMC. In ad-dition to MOLLIE, CMC provides trainingin radio, television, and information tech-nology, as well as access to all the equip-ment necessary to implement the train-ing. Multi-media transmission possibilitiesavailable through the CMC include cableTV, broadcast radio, and the Internet.

MOLLIE contains 20 iBook computers andtransmits and receives over a wireless net-work based on the new 802.11b proto-col. The transmission rates are at 2.4 Ghz.CMC is in the process of developing awireless LAN using 802.11a, which willtransmit at 5.4 Ghz. This network shouldbe able to accommodate 10 Mbps of data

transport. Beyond the wireless capabil-ity, there are plans to incorporate Ku Bandsatellite broadband in MOLLIE once thesignal is installed at CMC.

The goal of the MOLLIE project is to bringcomputer and video technology tounderserved areas where it is not avail-able. In addition to the computers,MOLLIE contains Sony hand-held videocameras, and the CMC staff train users invideo and content production. Audio,video and computer data are routed backto the CMC for possible transmission onthe local FM radio station, public accesscable station and streaming on the Inter-net.

MOLLIE is reaching out to many differentcommunities in Grand Rapids. A migrantworkers group with ties to Mexico City isusing MOLLIE to communicate with fam-ily and friends in Mexico. Inner city middleschool students are using MOLLIE to buildweb sites. High school students inKentwood are working with MOLLIE tobring access and training to a senior citi-zens center. Community organizinggroups, utilizing MOLLIE’s laptops, arebringing people together for discussionsof issues. The laptops are at different lo-cations and send the data from each userto one main screen at a meeting and toall the people participating online.

MOLLIE is an excellent example of com-munity-based solutions to some of theproblems in broadband deployment.With uneven deployment and high costs,it often falls to community institutions tofind ways to bring broadband to

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underserved citizens. Communitygroups, such as CMC, can partner withcompanies to develop programs likeMOLLIE that address the specific needs oflocal neighborhoods. CMC saw that thelow-income areas needed access to tech-nology and found a solution that worked.Communities across America are findingways to bring broadband and other tech-nologies to their areas, even if the com-petitive market is failing to serve them.

RESOURCES:

Grand Rapids Community Media Centerwww.grcmc.org

MOLLIE project www.grandnet.org/wip/mollie

Alliance for Community Mediawww.alliancecm.org

BROADBAND ON WHEELS

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A BROADBAND WORLD

WIRELESS BROADBAND THROUGH THES N O W

Some communities have little hope of ob-taining wireline broadband access, givenvirtually insurmountable geographic bar-riers. There are remote communities inAmerica that still lack basic telephone ser-vice and broadband is not a high priority.But there is much evidence that broad-band can transform life in isolated com-munities and the struggle to provide ser-vices to these marginalized areas is a keyelement of the overall effort to deploybroadband to all Americans.

The state of Alaska presents one of thegreatest challenges in providing univer-sal broadband access. The vast rural ar-eas and the challenging weather makecommunications infrastructure incrediblydifficult to install and maintain. Internetaccess is limited and sporadic, with ser-vices often unreliable. The Denali Com-mission, a federal-state partnership estab-lished by Congress to provide critical utili-ties, infrastructure and economic supportthroughout Alaska, reported that 164communities in the state (61% of the to-tal number of communities) could notaccess the Internet via a local dial-up ser-vice, to say nothing of broadband.

General Communications, Inc (GCI), anAlaska-based integrated communica-tions provider, sought to spread broad-band access to these remote communi-ties. They launched a $15 million projectto deliver high-speed services to 152communities across Alaska, 112 of whichwere included in the Denali Commissionlist of areas unserved by a local ISP. GCIemploys cable modems, DSL and wirelesstechnology to provide broadband access.

The GCI wireless model is particularly suit-able for deployment in rural Alaska wherecommunities are isolated but compact.GCI’s service requires a four-inch dish atthe customer’s home or office, served bya three to four foot antenna on a forty-foot mast located at the satellite earth sta-tion in the community. The technologyis similar to commercial quality WiFi,where the signal is pushed out from acentral point and accessible via wirelessconnections in the surrounding area. Theservice is currently offered at 56 Kbps or256 Kbps download speeds, with about90% of the consumers choosing thehigher bandwidth option.

The wireless platform is a critical compo-nent in serving these Alaskan communi-ties. Several communities are demon-strating the power of this technologythrough partnerships with GCI, using ap-plications that are changing the lives ofthe residents of these rural areas. For ex-ample, in Shageluk, a village accessibleonly by air or water (like most villages)and where only half the residents havephone lines, the school obtained fundingfrom the E-rate program, a provision un-der the Telecommunications Act of 1996requiring carriers to provide affordableaccess to schools and libraries, to pur-chase wireless services from GCI. Now, thebroadband connection is functioning asa direct link to previously unavailable in-formation. Students are learning aboutissues important in their community, suchas the environment, and also getting cur-rent news that before the connectionwould not arrive in Shageluk until daysafter events happened. The school in

33

Shageluk serves as a community center;students and the three teachers tutoradults on the technology after school andalso maintain the school and communitywebsite. Distance learning is available insome areas in conjunction with the Uni-versity of Alaska Southeast.

Another benefit of this technology is itsreach into minority areas. Many residentsof the remote communities in Alaska areNative Americans, who traditionally havebeen underserved by all forms of technol-ogy. While Alaska is one of the most ruralareas, Native Americans in other parts ofthe country face similar obstacles and so-lutions must be devised to address theseshortfalls. Collaborations between NativeAmerican communities, broadband ser-vice providers and government agenciesare crucial for advancing the universalservice goals of Section 706 of the 1996Telecommunications Act.

Wireless broadband is an outstandingtechnology for delivering services tothose areas of the country that are diffi-cult to serve by traditional means. Broad-band is a platform that is not limited toits current forms; it is continuously evolv-ing. To bring its life enhancing potentialto those underserved communities willtake evolving understanding and em-bracing of new ideas.

RESOURCES:

General Communications Inc.www.gci.com

Denali Commission www.denali.gov

Innoko River School, Shageluk, Alaskahttp://szshx.shx.iasd.gcisa.net

WIRELESS BROADBAND

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A BROADBAND WORLD

INFOTRICITY

Many communities desire access tobroadband, but they are unable to obtainthe services because of cost, geography,lack of investment, infrastructure needsand other shortfalls. What alternativesexist for these areas? Creating economicincentive for private sector investment isdifficult, due to regulatory barriers, eco-nomic uncertainty and geographic fac-tors that increase the cost of deployment.Vision and a willingness to innovate arenecessary to fashion solutions to thebroadband problems in many ofAmerica’s smaller communities.

Glasgow, Kentucky, a small agriculturaltown of 14,000 residents, has combinedinfrastructure and innovation to build abroadband network that is as accessibleas electric service. Glasgow is served bythe Electric Plant Board (EPB), a munici-pally owned public power utility. In 1989,EPB began to offer cable services to resi-dents over its newly constructed hybridfiber coax (HFC) broadband network atsubstantially lower rates than the localprivate cable company. Thus beganGlasgow’s Broadband Information High-way Project.

Beginning with a $2.4 million investment,EPB constructed 120 miles of broadbandfacilities and offered its first high speedInternet service in 1995. Today, the EPBprovides HomeLAN, a 1 Mbps symmetri-cal cable modem service, to Glasgow resi-dents for $24 per month. To compare, the

national average price for cable modemservice is $45.31 per month.9 EPB paysthe same franchise fee and taxes to thecity government that any private serviceprovider would pay. The system currentlyhas 2,930 subscribers and EPB believesthe network is headed toward 100% pen-etration of high speed Internet service.Their goal is to offer broadband serviceat each point where they have an electricmeter.

The EPB superintendent, William Ray, de-scribes the operation as an “infotricity util-ity.” This combination of existing infra-structure with new services is a uniquesolution to the complicated problem ofbroadband access. Currently, fifty-ninepublic power entities in the United Statesare providing some form of broadbandservice. In Glasgow, the entry of the EPBhas spurred competition in the broad-band market. South Central Rural Tele-phone recently began offering DSL ser-vice to Glasgow residents. The existenceof multiple providers of broadband is veryrare in rural America. The innovation of“infotricity” has allowed Glasgow to reacha level of technology penetration usuallyreserved for large cities.

What has the infotricity model done forlife in Glasgow? Over the past fourteenyears, customers have saved approxi-mately $30 million in reduced cable andInternet rates. Glasgow has the lowestunemployment rate in the state of Ken-

9 Mike Musgrove, “Broadband Broadens Its Pitch” The Washington Post, February 2, 2003, H7.

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tucky and business growth is high. Eachof Glasgow’s schools has direct fiber op-tic connections to the network and trans-mission speeds of up to 100 Mbps. TheGlasgow Independent School System hastaken advantage of the new capacity toenhance education and the entire com-munity as well. The broadband networkenables the schools to transmit videofrom any classroom to every television inthe town.

A unique project made possible by theEPB broadband network began last yearand is offering improved solutions to acommon problem. 1,200 streetlights inthe city are being outfitted with controlunits connected to the broadband net-work that will allow for the lights to bemonitored on a secure website. Previ-ously, many streetlights would “cycle,” re-peatedly turning on and off. Repairingthis problem was time consuming andexpensive. The new broadband monitor-ing system will ensure continuous opera-tion of the lights, identify malfunctionsand allow for immediate response, reduceoverall energy usage by the streetlights,and lower maintenance costs.

Building a broadband network via an ex-isting public power grid is not possible inevery American community. What can betransferred to any city or town is the ini-tiative demonstrated by Glasgow; it is aninnovative solution that can fit in manyplaces and one that can be modified toconform to particular local parameters.Identifying the need for broadband, ex-

amining local resources and devising themost efficient course of action for thatcommunity are the fundamental actionsthat all localities can take to move towardubiquitous broadband in their neighbor-hoods.

RESOURCES:

Glasgow, KY Electric Plant Boardwww.glasgow-ky.com/epb

American Public Power Associationwww.appanet.org

INFOTRICITY

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A BROADBAND WORLD

RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Broadband has many uses. But its uses arelimited if the number of people con-nected is low. Beyond the particular ap-plications, broadband connections canunite communities and allow them toflourish. Expanded telecommunicationscapabilities allow citizens to interact withtheir government, businesses to reachpotential customers and create new jobs,students to access information resourcesall over the world and other daily usesthat improve quality of life. But the con-nection must first be made.

LaGrange, Georgia has taken the initiativeand made the connection. LaGrange is acity of approximately 27,000 residents,sixty miles southwest of Atlanta. Thecounty seat of rural Troup County,LaGrange sits on Interstate 85, which iscommonly called the growth corridor ofthe South. In the early 1990s, the leadersof LaGrange viewed the shifts in theeconomy and understood the vital roletechnology would play in the new eco-nomic model.

A decade of technology infrastructureplanning ensued. The city believed thateconomic development would be fos-tered with the development of an ad-vanced telecommunications system thatis rarely found in rural communities.LaGrange was already a provider of util-ity services such as electricity and natu-ral gas and saw an opportunity for growthin providing telecommunications. Afterbecoming a local and long distance ser-

vice provider, with offerings including T1lines, the city sought to acquire the localcable system. In 1998, through a $9.6 mil-lion bond, LaGrange entered into aunique public/private partnership withlocal cable operator Charter Communica-tions. LaGrange bought the local trans-mission lines and the equipment andagreed to lease channel capacity back toCharter to provide video entertainment.LaGrange then began an upgrade of thecable system to provide more advancedservices.

“We could have overbuilt Charter,” saidJoe Maltese, the city’s director of commu-nity and economic development. “Wewould have been competitors. What wewanted was to be in the telecom businessin order to complement our other enter-prises, and to be able to offer our citizensand businesses access to state of the artbroadband networks.”10

The upgrade of the cable system entailedthe deployment of a hybrid fiber-coax(HFC) network that enabled LaGrange tooffer residents 500 Kbps broadband Inter-net service via cable modem, free e-mailand 5 megabytes of space for a websitefor $39.95 per month. Broadband con-nections of up to 2 Mbps are available tocommercial and residential consumers.The broadband network today encom-passes more than 150 miles. All 21 areapublic schools, LaGrange College and theWest Georgia Technical Institute are con-nected via broadband.

10 Joanne Donner. “LaGrange Hoists Internet Flag” Georgia Trend June 2000. Pg. 45.

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But LaGrange wasn’t finished. On March22, 2000, LaGrange Mayor Jeff Lukkenannounced that the city would begin of-fering free broadband Internet serviceover television via the cable system.LaGrange Internet TV (LITV) is availableto all cable subscribers within the system(of the 10,500 TV households in LaGrange,9,100 are cable subscribers). Customersare given a wireless keyboard, set-top box,five email addresses and a parental con-trol feature. The broadband connectionoffers service at about 150 Kbps. Approxi-mately 4,500 households requested thatthe LITV service be installed in their home.Many others opted to connect throughthe city’s and Charter’s high speed cablemodem service or via a dial-up connec-tion.

This connection is having a discernableimpact on life in LaGrange. One of the firstbeneficiaries of the Internet TV initiativewas the senior citizen population. TheTroup County Senior Center reported thatseniors are using the Internet connectionto research insurance policies, gather in-formation about medical conditions andinteract with other seniors who may havesimilar conditions, email grandchildrenand trace family histories. Local bankshave made presentations to the seniorgroups about online banking.

Local businesses reach more customerswith the spread of Internet connections.A local business-to-consumer e-com-merce initiative is under way, with plans

to create a virtual mall in the works. Thismall would have free listing to every busi-ness in LaGrange and visitors to the sitewould be able to perform all their e-com-merce functions with a variety of busi-nesses in one place.

Mayor Lukken described his vision for theInternet TV initiative as “a communitywide communications network that willallow citizens to communicate on a vari-ety of topics including school assign-ments and activities; postings for civicmeetings and job openings; and othercommunity events, sports, entertainmentand the arts, as well as local e-commerce.Additionally, plans are underway to de-velop a community-wide email and localcontent directory to facilitate increasedcommunications within the commu-nity.”11

In August 2000, the World Teleport Asso-ciation named LaGrange “Intelligent City”for 2000, the first American city to everreceive the honor. LaGrange illustrateshow a connected community can flour-ish, both socially and economically.Through the city’s initiative, there isstrong use of the telecommunicationstechnology that is so vital today.

LaGrange is an example of “ConnectingEach to All.” The value of the networkgrows as more people are connected toit. Sharing information builds strongcommunity bonds. Community buildingin the 21st century is no longer solely

11 City of LaGrange, Georgia. Intelligent City Application, May 2000, pg. 11.

RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

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A BROADBAND WORLD about traditional infrastructure like roads

and houses. Now, the new infrastructurethat unites the community via broadbandand communications technology isequally critical. LaGrange and its citizenswill experience rapid growth becausethey are able to communicate with eachother and with the world.

RESOURCES:

City of LaGrange www.la-grange-ga.org

World Teleport Association http://www.worldteleport.org/

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DELIVERING THE PROMISE

Lessons Learned

Many of the communities profiled in thisreport did far more than simply find cre-ative ways to build out broadband access.They utilized this access as a powerful toolfor education, community developmentand cost saving. These projects illustratethe incredible potential to meet commu-nity needs in new ways, if there are ad-equate opportunities to experiment andinnovate at the local level.

Of course, creating multimedia learningenvironments and participating intelehealth applications are not easy or ob-vious propositions. Accelerating digitalopportunity for all is curtailed not only bythe uneven access to the technologies atthis stage of broadband deployment, butalso by the lack of knowledge and skills,both among end users and technical staff.Health professionals, farmers, teachersand curators are all good at what they do,but they need training and guidance inorder for them to make the plunge intousing broadband to advance their mis-sions. It is important that practitionershave venues to share information aboutways new technologies can help themparticipate in powerful community solu-tions.

Public Policy Tools For EnsuringUniversal Broadband Access

It is a difficult process to create broad-band access, and many communities sim-ply do not have the resources to attemptsuch efforts. Mechanisms are needed thatnurture community efforts, offering infor-mation, resources and support.

The federal government has some pro-grams that contribute to community de-velopment of broadband. The Technol-ogy Opportunities Program (TOP) and theCommunity Technology Centers (CTC)program offer grants that often bring firstpoints of access to technology and tele-communications. The Rural Utilities Ser-vice administers grant programs de-signed to bring telemedicine and dis-tance learning to geographically remoteareas. The E-rate program offers fundingand discounts for schools and libraries toobtain Internet access. However, theseprograms are underfunded and often tar-geted for elimination in budget propos-als.

In order to promote strong efforts at thecommunity level and bolster opportuni-ties for access, the federal governmentcan take action. The following recom-mendations are designed to acceleratebroadband deployment in communitiesacross the country.

DELIVERING THE PROMISE

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A BROADBAND WORLD 1. Dedicate efforts to the creation of a

national broadband policy and rein-force commitment to the goal of uni-versal broadband deployment em-bodied in Section 706 of the Telecom-munications Act.

2. Adequately fund existing programssuch as TOP, CTC, E-rate and the RUSgrants and seek opportunities to de-velop broadband specific demonstra-tion projects.

3. Develop comprehensive data collec-tion mechanisms for assessing broad-band deployment and access in orderto identify communities in need.

4. Create regulatory certainty, so com-munities and local organizations arenot faced with confusing, contradic-tory and overlapping regulations.

5. Encourage aggregation of demand incommunities where economic andother factors have limited deploy-ment. Community institutions, suchas hospitals and colleges, can join to-gether to offer an attractive opportu-nity for partnership with service pro-viders.

6. Commit resources to train people inthe “twenty-first century skills”needed to take advantage of ad-vanced technologies.

7. Support innovative mechanisms tofund public interest uses of advanced

technologies, such as the Digital Op-portunity Investment Trust(www.digitalpromise.org), to unlockbroadband’s true potential.

8. Through public policy, create incen-tives for a robust and competitivebroadband marketplace and tools forintervention when the market fails toserve.

Broadband will continue to develop andmore Americans will experience its ben-efits. However, without efforts at all lev-els of government and society, it will notbe a technology shared by all people.Now is the time for action. As the evi-dence of broadband’s revolutionary po-tential mounts, the technology must bemade affordable, accessible and useablefor all Americans.

If we are to create the connected com-munities envisioned here, then we mustmove from a discussion of speed and pro-viders to one of applications and benefits,with an unwavering focus on the publicinterest. The programs and communitiesprofiled are not concerned with whichbroadband platform is available to them.Their interest lies in their ability to utilizethe service for applications that enrichtheir neighborhoods. So long as the ser-vice is available at speeds sufficient fortheir application, then their efforts can bedirected toward providing benefits. Thisis the crucial message. People don’t wantto talk about broadband, they want to gettheir hands on it and use it.

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About the Author

Matthew D. Bennett is the Public Policy Director at the Alliance for Public Technology.His responsibilities include guiding public policy efforts to expedite the deploymentof broadband and advanced telecommunications services to all sectors of society;educating policy makers and community leaders; working with and establishing coa-litions to spur involvement in telecommunications issues; and representing APT tothe public. He is also the author of Advanced Services, Enhanced Lives (2002), APT'sfirst edition of broadband case studies.

ISBN 1-930615-06-X

www.apt.org www.benton.org