A Broadband Primer What is Broadband Why It Matters July 2008 Paul Treadwell Cornell Cooperative Extension

What is Broadband? High speed data transmission Always on connection Encompasses a variety of technologies: DSL Cable modem WiFi Broadband sattelite Broadband over Power Lines (BPL)

High speed data transmission

Always on connection

Encompasses a variety of technologies:

DSL

Cable modem

WiFi

Broadband sattelite

Broadband over Power Lines (BPL)

Why does it matter? High speed internet access can: Improve government efficiency and communication Provide access to educational opportunities Engage citizens Facilitate better medical care Narrow the digital divide Expand employment opportunities

High speed internet access can:

Improve government efficiency and communication

Provide access to educational opportunities

Engage citizens

Facilitate better medical care

Narrow the digital divide

Expand employment opportunities

Broadband – A miracle cure? Sadly, no. Many factors affect the impact : Perceived usefulness Quality of Service Digital illiteracy Cost The connection Hardware

Sadly, no.

Many factors affect the impact :

Perceived usefulness

Quality of Service

Digital illiteracy

Cost

The connection

Hardware

More than just wire or fiber The full benefits of broadband access require a strategy which is: Educational Affordable Useful

The full benefits of broadband access require a strategy which is:

Educational

Affordable

Useful

Broadband elements Education Infrastructure Equity Content Inclusion QoS

Community Broadband Community (or municipal) broadband projects : Municipalities take an active role in bridging the digital divide by: Providing access to high speed internet connections Service may be provided fully or partially by local government Community broadband attempts to engage all elements of broadband service.

Community (or municipal) broadband projects :

Municipalities take an active role in bridging the digital divide by:

Providing access to high speed internet connections

Service may be provided fully or partially by local government

Community broadband attempts to engage all elements of broadband service.

State support for broadband NYS Office for Technology State grants for universal broadband NYS Council for Universal Broadband Advisory group for broadband deployment and digital literacy in underserved and unserved rural communities.

NYS Office for Technology

State grants for universal broadband

NYS Council for Universal Broadband

Advisory group for broadband deployment and digital literacy in underserved and unserved rural communities.

Extension and Broadband Educational resources addressing broadband: E-commerce E-government E- not for profits Broadband planning

Educational resources addressing broadband:

E-commerce

E-government

E- not for profits

Broadband planning

Technology and civitas The fuss about broadband, then, extends beyond access to information to active participation in the online commons Broadband: What’s All the Fuss About? Pew Internet and American Life Project Community broadband can foster civic participation by providing both the means and the methods for citizen engagement.

The fuss about broadband, then, extends beyond access to information to active participation in the online commons

Broadband: What’s All the Fuss About? Pew Internet and American Life Project

Community broadband can foster civic participation by providing both the means and the methods for citizen engagement.

Links to resources NYS Office for Technology – Connecting NY to the World. http://www.oft.state.ny.us/oft/UniversalBroadband/overview.htm NYS Council for Universal Broadband http://www.isoc-ny.org/wiki/New_York_State_Council_for_Universal_Broadband Pew Internet and American Life Project http://www.pewinternet.org/index.asp Access E.info Minnesota Cooperative Extension information technology programs including: Access e-commerce Access e-government http://www.accesse.info/

NYS Office for Technology – Connecting NY to the World.

http://www.oft.state.ny.us/oft/UniversalBroadband/overview.htm

NYS Council for Universal Broadband

http://www.isoc-ny.org/wiki/New_York_State_Council_for_Universal_Broadband

Pew Internet and American Life Project

http://www.pewinternet.org/index.asp

Access E.info

Minnesota Cooperative Extension information technology programs including:

Access e-commerce

Access e-government

http://www.accesse.info/

Contact Information Paul Treadwell Distance Learning Consultant Cornell Cooperative Extension 356 Roberts Hall Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 [email_address] http:// treadwell.cce.cornell.edu/elearn

Paul Treadwell

Distance Learning Consultant

Cornell Cooperative Extension

356 Roberts Hall

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY 14853

[email_address]

http:// treadwell.cce.cornell.edu/elearn