One of the on-going discussions regarding broadband and economic development is, do we focus more resources initially on trying to attract new business, or on improving the businesses we already have. The media tends to give more coverage to attracting new companies, probably because a company bringing 1,000 new jobs is big news. ... continue reading »
Riverside, CA started building its citywide wireless network in 2006, and it went live in 2007. It began providing computers to low-income families before the network buildout when residents only had dial-up service as a free option. ... continue reading »
A lot of the articles you read on broadband and economic development give the impression that fiber is the only broadband technology that matters. While it is true that a lot of the highspeed horsepower for online computing tasks such as videoconferencing, moving huge data files and voice calls over the Internet (VoIP) comes from fiber, wireless still has a vital role to play. ... continue reading »
In a story typical of the southeast United States, much of the economy in Virginia was agriculture driven, with the tobacco industry being a main employer. As tobacco farming died out in the state, towns shrunk with the withering employment opportunities. Those in the population who remained faced serious challenges using their skillsets in other industries. ... continue reading »
Seeing an opportunity to save money and also drive economic development, the City of Santa Monica, California pushed through adoption of high speed fiber and wireless networks, as Craig Settles details in this post. ... continue reading »