Closing the Broadband Divide in Massachusetts Sharon E
Closing the Broadband Divide in Massachusetts Sharon E. Gillett Director Massachusetts Broadband Institute www. massbroadband. org June 29, 2009
www. massbroadband. org
Mapping Challenges: 2006 FCC Form 477 Data www. massbroadband. org
Where We Started Survey conducted by Johnwww. massbroadband. org Adams Innovation Institute, June 2007
An Act Establishing and Funding the Massachusetts Broadband Institute • Chapter 231 of the Acts of 2008, signed August 4, 2008 • MBI established as new division within quasi-public Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) • Up to $40 million bonding authorization to close broadband gaps • Approach: public-private partnership with a co-investment model • Public bonds fund long-lived infrastructure (e. g. fiber or wireless towers) • Private partners fund complementary infrastructure and provide service • Private partners may leverage additional federal funds, e. g. RUS • Level of funding assumes a regional approach • Greater economies of scale than town-at-a-time www. massbroadband. org
Action Plan 1. Assess existing broadband conditions in communities with no or partial coverage 2. Inventory state and local government services that can contribute resources or benefit from broadband 3. Increase availability of broadband for homes, businesses, and government users, with western Massachusetts as first priority 4. Amplify goals 1 -3 by competing for and securing federal broadband stimulus funding www. massbroadband. org
Prototype Mass. GIS Mapping www. massbroadband. org
www. massbroadband. org
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