[Hidden-tech] Fwd: WesternMA Connect - July 2011 Broadband News Update

[Rich Roth]

*WesternMA Connect, Inc. - **July 2011 Broadband News Update*

/WesternMA Connect, Inc.
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37366&l=-http--www.westernmaconnect.org/>
is a non-profit organization with the mission to support the creation of an advanced
telecommunications landscape that will provide affordable, reliable and redundant
high-capacity broadband services throughout western Massachusetts./

/In this update:/

  * /MBI to Host Community Update Meetings on July 13^th and 14^th /
  * /MA DTC to Host Forums on Consumer Protection Regulations in August/
  * /Broadband Mapping Pilot Project/
  * /Available Federal Reports/ 

 

/MBI to Host Community Update Meetings on July 13^th and 14^th /

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37367&l=-http--www.massbroadband.org/>
(MBI) mission is to “connect the unconnected” throughout the Commonwealth.  In western and
north-central Massachusetts, the MBI is investing over $71 million of state and federal
funds in a three-year period to construct a robust, fiber-optic middle-mile network called
/MassBroadband 123/.  Just one year ago, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce came to
Greenfield to present the MBI with their federal broadband grant award.  Much has been
accomplished in this past year and more great work is on the way.  The MBI will be hosting
two community meetings next week to provide updates on the /MassBroadband 123 Network/ and
their recently announced Last-Mile Broadband Solutions Program grant awards
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37368&l=-http--www.massbroadband.org/2011_eblasts/062911eblast.html>. 
The community update meetings are scheduled for:

  * Wednesday, July 13^th from 7-8 pm at the Leverett Town Hall, 9 Montague Road, Leverett, MA
  * Thursday, July 14^th from 7-8 pm at the Ashfield Town Hall, 412 Main Street/Route 116,
    Ashfield, MA 

To receive the latest news and updates from the MBI, join their email list at: 
www.massbroadband.org/email.cfm
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37369&l=-http--www.massbroadband.org/email.cfm>

 

/MA DTC to Host Forums on Consumer Protection Regulations in August/

The Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications & Cable
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37370&l=-http--www.mass.gov/dtc>
(DTC) is the Commonwealth’s authority in regulating these industries according to federal
and state law, which includes enforcing consumer protection regulations.  The DTC has
announced that they are considering modernizing their billing and termination consumer
protection regulations for telephone and cable services.  Much has changed in the
telephone and cable industries since these regulations were established in 1986! 

As a result, the DTC is seeking your comments on a range of issues and questions about
consumer protections - such as, should consumer protection regulations apply to both
wireline and wireless service, cable television service and bundled services?  Should
there be changes in the current protections for telephone customers experiencing a
personal emergency or serious illness, or for seniors?  Should consumer protection
regulations protect small business in addition to individuals?  Responses to these
questions or other comments may be submitted by mail or email before Friday, August 5^th
or at one of four scheduled public information forums.  More information about this public
comment solicitation and forum details is available online in the Notice of Public
Informational Forums
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37371&l=-http--www.mass.gov/Eoca/docs/dtc/telecom/BillingandTermination/BandTPubNot63011.pdf>. 

The DTC public forums are scheduled for:

  * Wednesday, August 10^th from 5-8 pm at the Berkshire Community College, 1350 West
    Street, Pittsfield, MA
  * Thursday, August 11^th from 5-8 pm at the Springfield Technical Community College, 1
    Armory Square, Springfield, MA
  * Monday, August 15^th from 5-8 pm at the UMASS Medical Center, 55 Lake Avenue
    North, Worcester, MA
  * Monday, August 22^nd from 10 am – 4 pm at the Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza,
    Boston, MA

/ /

/Broadband Mapping Pilot Project/

WesternMA Connect continues to support the MBI through efforts like the Broadband Mapping
Pilot Project.  Connect contracted with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments and
the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission to design and distribute town-level
broadband availability maps to the communities in their respective regions. 

These maps were created using the geographic information system (GIS) data developed by
the MBI, based on vendor information, modeling, and individual responses to the MBI
Broadband Survey
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37372&l=-http--www.massbroadband.org/mapping/survey.html>.

The MBI Community Representatives were asked to help gather local input on these maps and
return them to their respective regional planning agency (RPA).  RPA staff incorporated
this feedback into GIS and gave it to the MBI for their review and approval.  The MBI will
use these final maps in their /MassBroadband 123 Network/ planning work and will submit
them for inclusion in the National Broadband Map.  These final maps will also be made
available to the communities for their use.

The experience and lessons learned from this initial pilot project will be used in the
next phase, when Connect will work with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, the
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning
Commission to implement a similar mapping project over the next year.  

 

/Available Federal Broadband Reports /

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), who regulates interstate and international
communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, recently
released The Information Needs of Communities
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37373&l=-http--www.fcc.gov/info-needs-communities>
(link to website) report.  This report addresses the changing face of media in a broadband
age as well as the current relevant policy and regulatory landscape.  The report also
makes recommendations directed to the FCC as well as the broader community of
policymakers, philanthropists, and citizens.

The FCC and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently published an
update to their Report on a Rural Broadband Strategy
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37374&l=-http--transition.fcc.gov/ftp/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0622/DOC-307877A1.pdf>. 
The update reflects the significant progress made by public and private sector efforts
since the 2009 report, but also acknowledges that additional efforts and new policies are
still needed to support broadband deployment and adoption in rural America. 

/WesternMA Connect Information/

For more information about WesternMA Connect, Inc., go to www.westernmaconnect.org
<http://www.mainstreetmail.com/engine/lt.php?c=3244&m=2627&nl=277&s=6b97eca79cb92455d71316586b3f2d0e&lid=37366&l=-http--www.westernmaconnect.org/>
or contact Business Manager Sharon Ferry at 413-496-9606, sharon at westernmaconnect.org
<mailto:sharon at westernmaconnect.org>.


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