1. Digital Advocacy
Webinar Series
Rural Connectivity in the Digital Age
July 9, 2013 2:00pm ET
Our panelists:
Wally Bowen, Exec. Dir., Mountain Area Information Network
Drew Clark, Exec. Dir, Broadband Illinois
Our moderator:
Marty Newell, COO, Center for Rural Strategies
Funding from

2. Question and Answer by Chat
How we’ll spend this next hour
together:
 GotoWebinar tech overview
 Introductions
 Presentations by Wally Bowen and Drew
Clark

3. GotoWebinar Tips:
 This webinar will be recorded and made available
on the RuralXChange website this week.
 All webinar controls are located on your toolbar
on the right side of your screen. You can
minimize or move the bar for a better view of the
presentation.
 All participants will be muted throughout the
webinar.
 If you have a question for the presenters or have
technical difficulties, please use the chat feature
located at the bottom of your tool bar.

4. Mapping Broadband in
Western North Carolina
Rural Digital Advocacy Project
Mountain Area Information Network
Asheville, North Carolina
www.main.nc.us/bbmap

5. Mapping Broadband in
Western North Carolina
● Project Goal:
● To document citizens' actual experience of
broadband access.
● To compare this experience with the FCC's
predicted availability for broadband access.

6. Mapping Broadband in
Western North Carolina

7. Mapping Broadband in
Western North Carolina
● 16 counties in western North Carolina
● Based on FCC map for broadband availability
● Speed Test tool used by the FCC
● FCC BB definition: 4 MB down/1 MB up

8. Mapping Broadband in
Western North Carolina
● “Learn more” : Policy overview & current
news
● “Tell Your Story” : Personal experience
● “Take Action” : What citizens can do

10. Mapping Broadband in
Western North Carolina
● Only 15% met minimum FCC standard
● 48% reported no access to wireline broadband
● No DSL user met FCC 1 Mbps up standard
● 20% of NA located in FCC access

11. Mapping Broadband in
Western North Carolina
Basic Ingredients
● Open Source GIS (geographic info system)
● OpenGeo Suite http://opengeo.org
● Quantum GIS http://qgis.org
● FCC broadband map data files

12. Mapping Broadband in
Western North Carolina
Rural Digital Advocacy Project
Mountain Area Information Network
Asheville, North Carolina
www.main.nc.us/bbmap

13. IllinoisWiFi
A new Mobile App developed by Broadband
Illinois and Softweb.
Helping people get connected to
high speed internet,
wherever they are in Illinois.

14. Better Broadband, Better Lives
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In rural areas, and even in cities, it is
sometimes hard to find a hotspot to
get connected. Broadband Illinois has
created an app for Illinoisans’ to find
and share their favorite spots to
connect to High Speed Internet
whether they are in Chicago or Cairo.

15. Find local
hotspots
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• Search for local free and
paid WiFi hotspots
• Keep a list of your
Favorite
hotspots
• Search through Recently
viewed hotspots
• Add new hotspots and
information about new
hotspots

16. 7/14/13 4
Search your area
Find convenient
connectivity
and get
directions to
your favorite
spots whether
paid or free.

17. Filter and find detailed
information
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18. Add hotspots on the
go
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Submit WiFi hotspots
through the app or
through our online
portal…

19. Online Portal
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20. Outreach
! During the initial launch of the app,
Broadband Illinois will be
partnering with University of Illinois
Extension to gather and verify local
data through area 4H students.
! Broadband Illinois will provide
incentive to the area chapters for
help with strengthening our
10,000+ entry database.
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21. For Further Information
Drew Clark
Executive Director
Broadband Illinois
217-886-4225
drew@broadbandillinois.org
http://broadbandillinois.org
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