Category Archives: Client Updates

Blandin Broadband Conference Big Success

Client Updates, CTAC Presentations, Events, Minnesota News, Tech News

The Blandin Broadband conference was a great success last week. More than 140 people registered. I was involved with the Community Broadband Awards as well as the planning of the conference.

It was great to help the award winners celebrate their hard work. Each community had different challenges and their own definition of success but they shared a local passion for implementing their broadband project and found expertise to help lead the way.

You can see a recap of the conference and presentations online, including my presentation on the Community Broadband Resources:

Community Broadband Resources from Blandin

View more presentations from atreacy.

Broadband Conference 2 weeks Away

Client Updates, Events

The Blandin Broadband Conference is just two weeks away. So here’s a final reminder about the events and share one new addition. For general information on the conference being held Dec 3-4 in Eden Prairie, please visit the Blandin Foundation web site: http://www.blandinfoundation.org/BBConf08

Raise Your Voice
Blandin is now looking for folks who want to share their two cents on broadband with representatives from the Minnesota Broadband Task Force at the conference. If you are interested, please let them know by completing the online form: http://www.blandinfoundation.org/BBConf08/comments.html  

Group Discount
There is a community group discount. For every two paid attendees in you group you will get one free. Simply sign up as a Community Group: http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=637737.  

Webinars
Prior to the conference, they held 3 broadband webinars, unfortunately our free webinars are now over – but for those who weren’t able to make the live event, they have posted the archives on our blog:
• Broadband Policy (Nov 19): http://tinyurl.com/6cjqdv
• Wireless Technology (Nov 5): http://tinyurl.com/5sdleq
• Fiber to the Home Networks (Oct 21): http://tinyurl.com/57bkvp

Update on Blandin Community Broadband Resources (CBR) Program

Client Updates, Minnesota News

I recently detailed my work with communities throughout Minnesota in the Blandin eNews. Through Blandin, community organizations can apply for up to 32 hours of technical assistance to help them get organized, gather information, develop alternatives and implement strategies to increase access to and use of broadband.

 

I have been working with communities on a range of projects. In fact one of the beauties of the program is that I am able to customize the program to meet the needs of the individual community. (Learn more about the communities and their progress.)

Online Citizen Engagement & Media Projects in rural Minnesota

Client Updates, Minnesota News

The Blandin Foundation (http://www.blandinfoundation.org) and E-Democracy (http://www.e-democracy.org/) have teamed to promote and support Online Citizen Engagement & Media Projects in rural Minnesota. To begin to promote these Minnesota Voices they are compiling a list of rural, citizen-led online projects including blogs, online discussions, YouTube channels, Flickr groups, wikis, and more. Check out the current list of the MN Voices resources: http://delicious.com/tag/mnvoices

The next step is to try to support the citizens maintaining these tools. To that end, they are creating a citizen media and online engagement community of practice online – in other words, an email-based discussion list where Minnesota Voices can meet and talk about issues that interest them – be it cross-promoting each other’s work, technical assistance, opening the door to collaboration, or simply meeting people with a shared interest in Minnesota-based citizen engagement. Learn more about the list here: http://e-democracy.org/citizenmedia

If you know of any citizen-based resources to add to our list, please let add them to Delicious and tag them with [mnvoices]. The goal is to be comprehensive and they are happy to hear of new additions. Also, if you maintain a site or know of someone who does and might like to join the Citizen Media Online Group, please feel free to join or invite others to join.

Every attempt will be made to invite owners of the sites we find to join the list – but your help in compiling the list and spreading the word is greatly appreciated.

CTAC’s work with Blandin Foundation Communities

Client Updates, Minnesota News

CTAC founder, Bill Coleman, writes about his experience working with Minnesota communities for the Blandin Foundation Broadband eNews…

New technologies put pressure on old rules and ways of doing things. Schools need to adapt to students with cell phones. Workplaces need to adopt new policies for dealing with personal email and web surfing. Political campaigns need to ensure that they are using technologies in ways that do not violate campaign laws. Sometimes, it is easier to just say no to new technologies than it is to thoughtfully develop new policies. I want to encourage you, as community technology leaders, to push your own organization forward and to support others in the community who are willing to work on these adoption issues. Our Lightspeed grantees are doing a great job pushing through these non-technical barriers. They are working with their own staff, regulators and clients to smooth the adoption of new technologies. Several of our grantees have paid extraordinary attention to these details and it is paying off as these technologies are deployed. Learn more about their efforts at the Connected Communities conference in December.

Minnesota Community Broadband Awards

Client Updates, Minnesota News

CTAC Founder Bill Coleman is helping the Blandin Foundation with their first Minnesota Community Broadband Awards. The goal is to recognize communities, companies and community institutions that are successfully implementing strategies that improve deployment and use of broadband. Awards will be given out in two topical categories:

Broadband infrastructure and services; recognizing the provision of high-speed broadband capacity and services to a community, area or region

Broadband market and application development; recognizing efforts to stimulate community demand for broadband services and/or to deploy advanced broadband applications in business, education, government and health care.

And the awards will be given to three population ranges:

  • Communities under 2,500
  • Communities between 2,500 and 10,000
  • Communities above 10,000

Visit the Blandin Foundation web site for more information.

CTAC Completes Grant Application for Dakota County

Client Updates

As a follow up to the recently completed telecommunications report for Dakota County, CTAC has just finished an application to the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development for funding through the FIRST Grant program. Dakota Future is leading the South of the River Intelligent Community Initiative that includes both Dakota and Scott Counties. The Intelligent Community process drives economic vitality by pursuing robust broadband networks, striving for innovation in private and public sectors, enabling a knowledge workforce, digital inclusion and economic development marketing.

CTAC Completes Telecommunications Report for Dakota County

Client Updates

CTAC recently finished a telecommunications report for Dakota County. The report include a telecommunications inventory based on surveys of local providers, outline of public sector initiatives and a capitulation of policy issues and recommendations. The report is available online and will serve as an invaluable tool when Dakota County looks at their future plans for broadband and economic development.