Tag Archives: Blandin Foundation

Blandin Foundation FREE Webinars

Events

CTAC will be helping to host the following webinars…

Pre-Conference Webinars

Join us for one or all three of these FREE webinars sponsored by the Blandin Foundation!

This series is perfect for economic development commissioners or elected officials to learn more about telecommunications and its impact on economic development.

Register online at http://www.blandinfoundation.org/BBConf08/webinar.html  

“Get up to speed on Internet technologies and their impact on local economic development before attending the Blandin Broadband Conference in December. Participating in a webinar is both easy and convenient – give it a try.” – Bill Coleman, Webinar Moderator

Webinar Dates and Topics

October 22rd: Fiber to the HomeNetworks – Learn how this critical infrastructure can support economic vitality in your community. Get a better understanding of the costs and capabilities of community fiber networks, and how they can enable business, education, health care and quality of life. Presenter: David Russell of Calix.

November 5th: Wireless Technologies – Learn about emerging services that provide the increased mobility that business needs and citizens want. Hear about new wireless technologies that can extend broadband coverage into more rural areas. Presenter: Pete Borchert, Senior Market Analyst for Alltel Wireless.

November 19th: Broadband Policy – As a warm-up to our December conference, learn about the critical issues that the MN Broadband Task Force will be considering, including the role of the public sector in broadband network deployment, statewide video franchising and alternative network management practices (network neutrality, pricing, bandwidth and download caps). A panel of experts will provide perspective on each issue.

Webinar Times
8:30 – 9:30 AM

Webinar Instructions
Our webinars are internet and conference call based. It’s easy!

First, click this link to connect to us via the web: https://umconnect.umn.edu/blandinwebinar

Then, call in to the Conference Call line:
866-316-1519
Passcode: 14223904

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.