The Latest News --- Updates --- In the News --- Resources --- Links

The Latest News:

July 23, 2008 - House Passes Broadband Bill with Amendments

The House voted to approve House #4864 with amendments (view bill history) on July 22, 2008.  The Senate is now considering this bill. As more is known, the Connects will post this information. 

July 10, 2008 - Senate Passes Broadband Bill

The state Senate voted to approve House #4864.  The legislation will now go to the House for a vote. 

July 1, 2008 - From the State House News Service

HOUSE BOOSTS BROADBAND INVESTMENT, PASSES EXPANSION BILL
With little debate, the House boosted to $40 million from $25 million a borrowing bill to support the expansion of broadband technology to underserved parts of Massachusetts. The bill, on a 144-0 vote, now heads to the Senate. During an afternoon session, the House adopted an amendment filed by Rep. Dennis Guyer to increase the size of the bill from its original $25 million.  Guyer compared the expansion of broadband to government efforts to expand access to electricity to all residents. He said business owners from other states who vacation to his district tell him the lack of broadband prevents them from opening up local offices. Rep. Daniel Bosley, co-chair of the Legislature’s Emerging Technologies Committee, said broadband access would enable all regions of the state to participate in and reap the benefits of investments in life sciences, information technology and other high technology sectors. “We in Massachusetts today are saying we can do better and we will do better,” he said.

Updates:

May 1, 2008 - An update from the Connects, including an update on the Broadband legislation, and on a recent visit from state Commissioner Sharon Gillett to Umass. 

April 9, 2008 - Governor Patrick's remarks about econoimc stimulus mentions the importance of "investing in ourselves" which includes "expanding broadband to underserved communitites."  To view the complete remarks on the Commonwealth's website click here.

March 20, 2008 - An update from the Connects, including an update on the Broadband legislation, and recent news from the FCC about broadband data collection. 

February 29, 2008 - An update from the Connects, including the Broadband Forum cancellation and an announcement from Verizon. 

February 22, 2008 - Press release (142K pdf) issued about the March 1st Broadband Forum for Western Massachusetts.

February 21, 2008 - An update from the Connects about the February 14th Public Hearing. 

February 5, 2008 - The Connects have issued a letter (75K pdf) about the Public Hearing for the Massachusetts Broadband Institute & Incentive Fund legislation, scheduled for February 14, 2008 at 11 am in Room A-2 of the State House.

January 24, 2008 - Governor Patrick's State of the Commonwealth address stated “Let’s connect the whole state to the world of ideas and commerce, and jumpstart the economies in western and central Massachusetts, by passing the Broadband Bill.” 

January 10, 2008 - Regional Broadband Survey press release, click here (80K pdf). 

Click here to view the archives of Updates and In The News.

In the News:

The Republican (Springfield, MA), July 14, 2008 - Editorial "Bringing WMass up to (high) speed" 

The Boston Globe (Boston, MA), July 13, 2008 - Editorial "Strike up the broadband"

The Republican (Springfield, MA), July 12, 2008 - "Rural towns seek high-speed link " 

The Republican (Springfield, MA), April 23, 2008 - "Kerry fights for area Web link" 

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA), February 29, 2008 - "High speed coming to Hilltowns?"

The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, MA), February 29, 2008 - "County Gets Linked"

The Daily Hampshire Gazette (Northampton, MA), February 28, 2008 - "Steering region into Internet fast lane"

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA), February 28, 2008 - "West County broadband meeting draws 130"

The Republican (Springfield, MA), February 18, 2008 - "Bringing WMass Into 21st Century" (47K pdf)

The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, MA), February 18, 2008 - "Patrick Goes to Bat for Broadband Plan" (51K pdf)

The Republican (Springfield, MA), February 15, 2008 - "Speedy Rural Internet Urged" (49K pdf)

The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, MA), February 15, 2008 - Editorial "Closing In On Broadband (51K pdf)

The Recorder (Greenfield, MA), February 14, 2008 - "Bridging Our Digital Divide" (50K pdf)

The Boston Globe (Boston, MA), February 14, 2008 - "Patrick Pushes $25 million Broadband Internet Access Bill" (45K pdf)

The Boston Hearld (Boston, MA), January 26, 2008 - Editorial "High Speed OK in Order" (57K pdf)

Click here to view the archives of Updates and In The News.

Resources:

Broadband Needs in Western Massachusetts

• Why is broadband important? (98K pdf) Download a brief summary outlining some of the issues.
• Town Hall Connectivity Needs in Western Massachusetts. (100K pdf) Download a review of broadband needs of local town halls and their connectivity status.

Legislation

• Summary of Recent State Broadband Legislation (132K pdf) - An August 2006 summary of recent broadband related legislation, produced by the John Adams Innovation Institute of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
• State Economic Stimulus II (link to HTML site) - A link to Chapter 123 of the Acts of 2006 as enacted by the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives in June 2006. 
• Connects' USDA Comment (542K pdf) - The July 1, 2007 comments submitted by the Connect in response to the USDA's RUS proposed rule changes for the Rural Broadband Loan Program.

Reports

• Broadband Initiative Funding Report (178K pdf) - The June 2006 report reviews the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service primary broadband funding programs.  The report was prepared by consultant Janette Kessler Dudley and funded by the John Adams Innovation Institute of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

  Report Attachment 1 (57K pdf)

  Report Attachment 2 (92K pdf)

• Measuring Broadband’s Economic Impact (link to 1.1M pdf) - The February 2006 report was prepared by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University, for the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

• US General Accountability Office (GAO) Report to Congress on Telecommunications (Links to 858K pdf)- The May 2006 report states that “broadband deployment is extensive throughout the United States, but it is difficult to assess the extent of deployment gaps in rural areas.” 

  Brief Summary of GAO Staff Interview of Pioneer Valley Connect, August 2005 (76K pdf)

Links:
PVC Preferred Providers
Crocker Communications

Projects and Programs in Massachusetts
Berkshire Connect, Inc.

Massachuetts Technology Collaborative's Broadband Initiatives
Cape Cod Technology Council's Unwired Village

Open Cape

City of Boston's Boston Wireless Task Force
OpenAir Boston

MA Exec. Office of Transportation's I-91 ITS Project
Five College Dark Fiber Ring

Shutesbury Leverett Broadband Committee

Town of Amherst's Community Wireless Mesh Network

In Other States

National Conference of State Legislatures' Broadband Statutes by State

Connecticut Report on State's efforts to promote high speed internet access

Vermont Telecommunications Authority

Maryland Broadband Cooperative

Connect Kentucky

Maine's ConnectME Authority

New York State Council for Universal Broadband

Federal Programs & National Organizations
USDOC Federal Communications Commission
USDA Rural Utilities Services
USDOC National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Rural Telecommunications Congress
National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative

Telecom News & Information
Faulkner Information Services

FreePress Community Internet

Webpage last updated on July 23, 2008 .