Broadband - Did You Know ...

... That Chincoteague (VA, USA), around 4300 inhabitants on 96 square km of which 74% is water, held a kickoff for its broadband Internet network planning process, with an outlook on future broadband services, like movies on demand, distance learning, telemedicine, security and system monitoring, and video conferencing.

Where a small, atypical and unique community can be great ... and understands the urgency.

Source: DelmarvaNow.com

... That Australia’s Minister of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, supports a plan for a National Broadband Network (NGN), published by the Online and Communications Council: "Australia's development will require world-class communications infrastructure and services. Similarly, high-speed broadband access is critical to achieve business competitiveness, social networking and the promotion of social inclusion, and the delivery of public and private sector services. This Framework reinforces the need for the collaborative development and effective use of broadband," reads a government document outlining a Framework for public/private sector cooperation toward the rollout of the NBN published Friday, 12 December 2008.

Where a big and unique country can be great ... and understands the urgency.

Report: ‘Framework for the collaborative development and use of broadband in Australia’

Source: Online and Communications Council

... That a 2007 study by the Brookings Institution and MIT found that a one-digit increase in U.S. per-capita broadband penetration equates to an additional American 300,000 jobs. If US broadband penetration were as high as a country like Denmark, for example, it could expect more than 3 million additional jobs.

An interesting metric isn't it: 1% increase in broadband penetration equates to an 300,000 new Americans jobs ...

Source: Reclaim The Media

Rural Broadband in Malaysia

School children with a wireless laptop and pervasive broadband connectivity in Malaysia.

The plan from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is to establish rural broadband community centres in every parliamentary constituency (22) in the country. The Sarawak Rural Broadband Initiative (SRBI) will be the first, connecting school children in Sarawak, aged six to 12 years, who are provided with a low-cost Wifi terminal known as “one-laptop-per-child” (OLPC). The broadband infrastructure, such as fiber optics and satellite coverage is provided by a joint venture between Danawa Resources Sdn Bhd and Sarawak’s state-run Sacofa Sdn Bhd.

After 1½ years, the SRBI has achieved 20% broadband coverage of Sarawak and aims for 50% by 2010.

Sarawak joined recently the Multimedia Super Corridor.

Source: The Star Online

Sense of Urgency - Broadband For All

Broadband networks, broadband services. Broadband for all. High-speed internet. Heard it. Seen it. Done it. What's new? Really?

Jose Manuel Barroso found the opportunity to emphasize again the necessity to promote 'High Speed Internet For All(-Europeans)' by 2010, in the EU Economic Recovery Plan, published on Nov 26th 2008, "Equipping Europe with this modern infrastructure is as important as building the railways in the nineteenth century", and free up at least 1bn EURO additional funds for broadband projects, in particular for the underdeveloped, rural areas. The goal now is to accelerate the transition towards a knowledge-based and low carbon economy.

The New America Foundation hosted a gathering of thought leaders, from public, private and academic institutes, and urged Barack Obama to develop a National Broadband Strategy; broadband to every home, business and insitute; open to all users AND providers; with clear guidelines for network operators; being as competitive as reasonable possible; providing all Americans with the network performance, capacity, and connections to compete succesfully in the global marketplace.

President-elect Barack Obama announced broadband connectivity would be a top priority in a massive public works campaign he will direct while in office ...

The financial crisis and economic downturn make many people think twice, and act cautiously. Nevertheless, the upcoming year seems to be the perfect time to invest in next generation broadband networks and policies. With public sector, private companies and engaged people collaborating in new ways. We need this re-ignited vigour. Our knowledge economy and information society are on a historical cross road, growing even more rapidly, while digital and social divides are increasing instead of dissolving.