New York City Broadband Advisory Committee

NYC Council holds Net Neutrality Hearing - 11/20/2009

2009-11-11T03:41:00.002-05:00

In Feb. 2007 members of the NYC Council Committee on Technology in Government introduced Resolution 712, calling on the federal government to pass net neutrality legislation, an unlikely prospect at the time. Now, with fresh faces in Washington, the FCC has taken up the cause, establishing the six principles of net neutrality. A new bill H.R. 3458 aka the 'Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009' was introduced in Congress, and is currently before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. For their part, Republicans have come up with two opposing bills.

The NYC Resolution has, in recognition of this, been appropriately amended as Res. No. 712-A, and a hearing has been scheduled for November 20 at City Hall. The FCC has made a request for public comment on this matter and the Committee on Technology in Government will draw from the hearing's testimonies to draft a letter that includes citywide input.

WHAT: Public Hearing on Net Neutrality
WHEN: 10am, Friday, November 20, 2009
WHERE: Committee Room, City Hall, NYC

If you want to attend and/or testify at this hearing, please contact Kunal Malhotra, Legislative and Budget Director, at kmalhotra@council.nyc.gov or Samuel Wong, Legislative Aide on Technology, at samwong.nycc@gmail.com. Both are reachable at their City Hall Office at (212) 788-6975.

We expect this hearing to be webcast live, and will also videotape for later, better quality, viewing.

Developments can be followed at www.twitter.com/nycctechcomm and via the hashtag #reso712A.

Proposed Res. No. 712-A

Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass H.R. 3458 and the Federal Communications Commission to formalize strong network neutrality principles in order to ensure that the Internet will continue to foster innovation, increase competition, and spur economic growth as well as making the Internet faster and more affordable for all.

By Council Members Brewer, Fidler, Gerson, James, Liu, Sanders Jr. and de Blasio
Whereas, "Network neutrality" has been defined as the principle of an open and free Internet that fosters competition and innovation among service and content providers and offers consumers access to the content and services of their choice; and
Whereas, In the past, network providers have delivered data over the Internet on a "best efforts" basis, without creating different levels of quality of service based upon amounts paid by content providers; and
Whereas, With growth of the Internet and the increased demand for more broadband video, data, and telephone service, infrastructure network executives have indicated the likelihood that content providers will be charged more for faster data/content delivery, in part, to offset the cost of new high-speed lines; and
Whereas, Many are concerned that charging for services will lead to a type of Internet "toll road" where an individual's access to locations on the Internet will be faster to the websites of those content providers who pay a higher price to the network owner; and
Whereas, Without network neutrality, smaller companies and individuals will be unable to afford premium network access which will thus, hurt competition and the innovation that has been the hallmark of the Internet to date; and
Whereas, In 2005, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a policy statement that outlined four principles to preserve and promote the open and interconnected nature of the Internet; and
Whereas, The FCC statement declared that consumers are entitled to access to the Internet content of their choice, to run applications and services of their choice, and to enjoy all possible benefits of competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers; and
Whereas, While these principles guide FCC policymaking, they do not impose any enforcement power and are not a clear endorsement for net neutrality; and
Whereas, In July 2009, Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009 (H.R. 3458), which amends the Communications Act of 1934 in order to set policy regarding various aspects of the Internet, including access, consumer choice, competition, ability to use or offer content, applications, and services, discriminatory favoritism, and capacity; and
Whereas, In addition, in September 2009, Julius Genachowski, the current FCC chairman, proposed expanding the principles and creating formalized rules that explicitly extend to wireless networks; and
Whereas, In opposition to these proposals, Senator John McCain introduced legislation called the "Internet Freedom Act" that would eliminate the FCC's ability to "propose, promulgate, or issue any regulations regarding the Internet or IP-enabled services"; and
Whereas, The future of the Internet, thus, remains in jeopardy until the FCC promulgates meaningful, enforceable protections for network neutrality; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to pass H.R. 3458 and the Federal Communications Commission to formalize strong network neutrality principles in order to ensure that the Internet will continue to foster innovation, increase competition, and spur economic growth as well as making the Internet faster and more affordable for all.

CFP
LS 2063/2006

NYC Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) Video

2009-07-31T20:25:00.007-04:00

With the deadline for applications for the first round of grants from the $7.2bn set aside for broadband adoption projects in President Obama’s stimulus plan rapidly approaching (Aug14), members of many of NYC communities met to discuss how best to achieve results. Representatives of the City’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DOITT) poured cold water on many aspirations stating that most, if not all, the cash would go to rural projects. Despite this many declared it their intention to apply.

Audio & Video below. A listserv has been set up for further conversation. Twitter: #nycbtop

Video/audio is below:

Audio: http://is.gd/1USAc

Downloadable video will follow:

Speakers:

00:00 Gale A. Brewer - NYC City Council
03:38 David Birdsell - Dean of Baruch School of Public Policy
07:40 Joshua Breitbart - People's Production House
10:21 Elvin Rogers - Fair Time for Learning
12:04 Dave Pentecost - LES Girls Club
14:51 Adam Black - Share The Access
16:13 Eran Bello - Runcom Technologies (WiMax)
16:56 Thomas Camber - O.A.T.S.
18:35 Audrey Duncan - Bronxnet
19:28 Darada Davis - Peace Love Cafe
21:13 Dennis Ailane - Harlem Consumer Education Council
22:30 Renee Giordano - Sunset Park BID
24:19 Bruce Lincoln - Center for Technology Innovation & Community Engagement
27:43 Mitchel Albarn - DOITT
34:42 Darcy Gerbarg - Columbia Institute for Tele-Information
38:25 Dave Pentecost - LES Girls Club
40:15 Lou Klepner - Community Fiber Project :
44:42 Dana Spiegel - NYC Wireless
49:13 Kristine Rivera - Perscholas
50:47 Adam Black - Share The Access
52:08 Mario Bodden - SoBro
54:29 Joshua Breitbart - People's Production House
56:06 Maria Pagano - AT&T
58:53 John Weaver - Liberty Imaging
1:03:27 Henry Quiero - HITN
1:05:04 Dave Elcock - Mt. Hope Housing Co.
1:07:30 Mark Belinsky - Digital Democracy: Director
1:10:02 Alamelu Narayanaswamy - Community Programmer, MNN
1:11:04 Dimas.DeJesus - LISTA Latinos Information Science and Technology Association
1:13:01 Karen Gourgey - Baruch College Computer for the Visually Impaired
1:14:20 David Birdsell - Dean of Baruch School of Public Policy
1:17:40 Joshua Breitbart - People's Production House
1:18:04 Dave Pentecost - LES Girls Club
1:21:04 Dennis Ailane - Harlem Consumer Education Council
1:25:19 Michelle Pichardo - Institute of Family Health
1:28:01 Conclusion

NYC Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) Funding Meeting

2009-07-22T20:44:00.008-04:00

On Tuesday, July 28, 2009 from 6-8 PM at DCTV’s Third Floor Conference Room (located at 87 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10013) Council Member Gale A. Brewer invites all members of the New York City technology community to discuss the recently released Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) funding that has been made available through the federal stimulus package which passed in February 2009. The purpose of this event is to help galvanize interested applicants around common goals. Please distribute this invitation widely and invite all pertinent stakeholders to attend.

Please contact Kunal Malhotra [kmalhotra@council.nyc.gov] or Sam Wong [samwong.nycc@gmail.com] at (212) 788-6975 if you have any questions and suggestions.

From Council Member Gale A. Brewer
----------------------------------------------------------------

July 24, 2009

Dear Friend,

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was enacted
by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on
February 17, 2009, to stimulate the national economy and invigorate
neglected industries that directly affect the nation’s competitive
edge. Included in this stimulus package is the $7.2 billion Broadband
Technology Opportunities Program, also known as BTOP. The National
Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) released
rules (also known as notice of funds availability, NOFA) for the BTOP
governing process July 1, 2009.

In an effort to involve the entire technology and not-for-profit
community, I would like to encourage your participation in a meeting
on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 6 PM. At this meeting, we would like to
work with a number of organizations to connect with other institutions
and collaborate on a general plan for New York City’s BTOP
application.

The application for the grants was released on July 9, 2009, and is
due by 5 PM on August 14, 2009. After a thorough review, the NTIA
will announce the finalists in September 2009 and will dole out the
funds in November 2009. The NTIA expects the project to be completed
within two to three years of the award date. The first of three
funding rounds will provide about $1.6 billion in competitive grants
to all fifty states.

Here is the breakdown for NTIA’s $1.6 billion BTOP [NOFA 527-545]
grant:
* $1.2 billion allocated to provide last- and middle-mile services to
unserved and underserved areas;
* $50 million for computer centers;
* $150 million to drive broadband demand; and
* $200 million in discretionary funding to spread among the
aforementioned categories, when in need;

Also included in the definitions for unserved and underserved areas.
For "last mile" funding purposes in New York City, an underserved area
can be designated by meeting one of three criteria:
* No more than 50 percent of households have access to facilities-
based terrestrial broadband;
* No fixed or mobile provider advertises speeds of at least 3 megabits
per second (Mbps);
* The rate of subscribership is 40 percent or less.

The NTIA’s Notice of Funds Availability for the BTOP program aims at
access and implementation of net neutrality. "Without a non-
discrimination condition, network operators could give preferential
treatment to affiliated services, or charge some application and
content providers for ‘fast lanes’ that would put others at a
competitive disadvantage," the notice said. Furthermore, applicants
can deploy nondiscrimatory network management methods and offer
managed services that use private connections, such as telemedicine,
public safety communications, and distance learning.

The application process is ranked on a 100-point system. The rubric
is outlined in the following way:
1. Project Purpose (30 points)
2. Project Benefits (25 points)
3. Project Viability (25 points)
4. Project Budget and Sustainability (20 points)

For more information on this breakdown, please log on to www.broadbandusa.gov
and click on the "Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Broadband
Initiatives Program and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program".
Read through lines 1410 through 1593.

To that, we would like to join us for a brief meeting regarding BTOP
on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 6 PM. The location will in Manhattan
and you will be notified about the location very soon. Please contact
Kunal Malhotra, Budget and Legislation Director, at (212) 788-6975 or
at kmalhotra@council.nyc.gov if you have any questions or would like
attend the NYC BTOP meeting.

These grants are all competitive. We hope that groups will partner so
to be successful in bringing projects to the five boroughs.

Sincerely,

Gale A. Brewer

Video of Open Government Data Hearing

2009-07-14T19:47:00.003-04:00

On Jun 29 2009 there was a public hearing of New York City Council Committee on Technology in Government to discuss open data standards for city agencies, a new bill #991-2009 having been introduced to establish same in an effort to increase government transparency and access to public data. Beyond the 'good government' benefits of the legislation, the bill is intended to unlock City data to enable web developers and entrepreneurs to interact with City government in new and unforeseen ways.

However, on the morning of the hearing Mayor Bloomberg pre-empted the bill by announcing that the City would make available 80 data sets and run a competition 'Big Apps' for the best application. While welcoming the Mayor's initiative, it was apparent that the Committee Chair Gale Brewer, and just about every witness, considered it ultimately insufficient.

Video/audio is below:

Part 1:

Introduction: Gale Brewer

Sami Naim - Asst. Counsel, Office of the Mayor

ipod | stills | youtube | mp3

Part 2:

Andrew Hoppin - CIO NY State Senate
Benjamin Kallos - Open Government Foundation
Ian Jacobs - W3C

ipod | stills | youtube | mp3

Part 3:

Morgan Reed - Assoc. For Competitive Tech.
James Vasile - Software Freedom Law Center
Philip Ashlock - Open Planning Project

ipod | stills | youtube | mp3

Part 4:

Chris Keeley - Common Cause NY
Rachael Fauss - Citizens Union NY
Denora Getachew - Citizens Union NY
Joshua Breitbart - People's Production House

ipod | stills | youtube | mp3

Part 5:

Tom Lowenhaupt - Connecting .NYC Inc.
Silona Bonewald - League of Technical Voters
Frank Hebbert - Regional Plan Assn.

ipod | stills | youtube |mp3

Part 6:

Andrew Brust - Twenty Six New York
Jay Sulzberger
Kayza Kleinman - Non-Profit Helpdesk

Conclusion - Gale Brewer

ipod | stills | youtube | mp3

NYC Council Committee on Technology in Government
Text of the bill
Status of the bill
Briefing on the bill

Bloomberg announcement Press Release
Mayor's Office NYCStat homepage

7/1/09 Ian Jacobs blog of the hearing

6/25/09 NY-FI Open-Government Techies Get Giddy About a Council Bill; But Will Bloomberg Care?
6/29/09 NY Times City Invites Software Developers to Crunch Big Data Sets
6/29/09 Politicker Bloomberg Administration Resists Online Mandate, Citing User-Friendliness
6/29/09 NY-FI review of the hearing.

NYTimes Series: The Broadband Gap

2009-03-28T17:09:00.003-04:00

On Mar 10-12 2009 Saul Hansell addressed the Broadband topic in a 3 part series in the New York Times. The series attracted over 200 comments from the public.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/broadband-gap/

Audio of Staten Island Broadband Hearing

2009-03-14T00:16:00.002-04:00

Audio of the NYC Broadband Advisory Committee's Staten Island public hearing on Thursday Mar 5 is now available here. Video and summaries will follow.

Here is the timetable. Names are not necessarily accurately spelled - feel free to email joly@punkcast.com with corrections.

0:00:00 intro - David Birdsell
0:00:35 Thomas Morales
0:04:25 Gale Brewer
0:07:32 Sean Belle
0:09:48 Jose Luis Rodriguez
0:10:02 Antony Townsend
0:10:10 Neil Pariser
0:10:27 Avi Devanian
0:10:34 Vincent Grippo
0:10:43 procedure
0:11:53 Sam Ferag
0:16:58 Salvatore Volpe
0:23:26 Tom Dunne
0:29:43 Rev. John Ryan
0:35:43 Dr. Jon Yang Jiang
0:44:55 Angela Daiuto
0:52:21 Giotry Sudansinan
0:56:07 Eve Victor - Seniornet
1:04:12 Mel Bloxner
1:10:12 Kim Falcon - Staten Island Community Hospital
1:14:35 Cathy Santo
1:21:47 Dan Stevens - Stevens Enterprises
1:24:40 Mark Lepari - New Dorp High School
1:30:27 Michael Cress - College of Staten Island
1:35:47 Abdul Ali Bah - Community News Institute
1:41:54 Marissa Parrish, Coutney Castellach, Gary Miller
1:51:26 Ben Torto - MST New Visions
2:02:53 Paula Coyle - SIEDC
2:12:19 Beverly Newhouse - Richmond Senior Services
2:17:07 Michael Devito - NYC ID
2:19:00 Michael Coates - Make The Road NY
2:24:34 Wayne Roy - Troynet
2:28:43 Mamadou Andauou
2:30:41 Nicky Odelavac - Community Agency for Senior Citizens
2:37:57 Kayza Kleinman - Jewish Community Council / Non Profit Help Desk
2:44:44 Vincent Lenzo - Staten Island NFP Org.
2:48:20 Valerie D'Angelo - Student - College of Staten Island
2:51:10 Lou Klepner - NYC Community Fiber Project
3:04:32 Vincent Grippo - DOITT
3:07:13 conclusion - Sean Belle

NYC Broadband Hearing - Staten Island - Mar 5 2009

2009-02-25T05:06:00.004-05:00

The NYC Broadband Advisory Committee will hold its fifth public hearing in Staten Island on March 5 2009.

WHEN: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 11 AM – 3 PM
WHERE: CUNY College of Staten Island (Building 1P)
Recital Hall, The Center for the Arts
2800 Victory Boulevard
Staten Island, NY 10314 [map] [travel info]

Coming on the heels of successful public hearings in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens where hundreds of people attended, the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee will hear from policy experts, Staten Island residents and business people in a Public Meeting of the Broadband Advisory Committee in Staten Island. During this official hearing on the borough’s Broadband status, the City Council seeks to answer the following questions: How important is affordable Broadband to businesses and to under-served communities? How will high-speed Internet connections improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers and their families?

“New York is the most dynamic city in the world. But when it comes to the Internet, we’re working to catch up to other jurisdictions,” said Council Member Brewer, Chair of the New York City Council’s Committee on Technology in Government. Brewer sponsored Local Law 126, which created the NYC Broadband Advisory Committee. “I am excited to work with the Mayor’s Office in making New York a place where you don’t have to pay to go slow. We need affordable high-speed Internet connections to bring in jobs, help schools, and make the city safer.”

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project in May 2008 Survey, 32% of American households are still not using the Internet at all and “those with less education, those with lower household incomes, and Americans age 65 and older are less likely to have embraced broadband than those who are younger and have higher socio-economic status.” Seeking to address these same imbalances, Broadband Advisory Committee Chairperson, Shaun Belle, and CEO of Mount Hope Housing Company said, “Understanding the challenges to Broadband connectivity for the average New Yorker is a primary focus of the Broadband Advisory Committee; exploring and potentially implementing solutions to address these challenges will be the basis of our future planning.”

Andrew Rasiej, an Advisory Committee Member and the Founder of the Personal Democracy Forum and MOUSE said, “These hearings are critical to focusing broad political attention and building consensus for the need to guarantee all New Yorkers an opportunity to participate in the 21st Century economy.” As of February 2009, President Obama’s stimulus plan includes $7 billion in broadband infrastructure development to ensure the American economy is competitive in the long run.

Video of NYC Council webcasting proposal public hearing

2008-11-05T20:06:00.003-05:00

Below is video of last week's public hearing on the proposal to webcast NYC City Council and other municipal meetings. It was informative with first, representatives of the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) giving the official line, and then, two presentations by commercial vendors. After which Common Cause, the Peoples Production House, and others, spoke on behalf of the public interest.

Video is below:

iPod | stills | youtube | mp3

Witnesses (w/timecodes)

00:04:18 Paul Cosgrave - Comissioner, DoITT
00:20:10 Christopher Long - DoITT
00:32:18 Robert Feldman - Total Webcasting
00:05:12 Chris Rynders - Granicus Inc.
01:16:19 Susan Lerner - Common Cause / NY
01:21:19 Rachael Fauss - Citizen's Union
01:24:51 Joshua Breitbart - People's Production House
01:32:29 Joly MacFie - ISOC-NY
01:36:16 Kayza Kleinman - Jewish Community Council for Coney Island

dot nyc hearing (webcast)

2008-10-17T19:57:00.011-04:00

On Friday, October 17th, Council Member Gale A. Brewer (D-Manhattan), Chair of the Technology in Government Committee, held a hearing regarding the City’s interest for a unique .nyc Top Level Domain (TLD).

ipod | stills | youtube | mp3

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, also known as ICANN, is globally recognized not-for-profit that is responsible for the coordination of domain names worldwide. In the 2009, ICANN will be implementing new policy recommendations to expand domains for cities worldwide, in an effort to boost city identities and tourism. The new TLD process that is being introduced by ICANN will issue TLDs to cities for the first time in 2009. After this date, cities will be able to apply for a top level domain, eg. .nyc for New York. This TLD will continue New York’s dominance in commerce, tourism, and culture. Moreover, these efforts will increase New York City's position as a leading Digital City.

Council Member Gale A. Brewer is sponsoring a resolution to support the acquisition of the .nyc Top Level Domain. Resolution 1495-2008 urges The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to approve the City’s application in order to meet the needs of city residents via the Internet.

00:00:00 Gale A. Brewer - Introduction
05:15:16 Thomas Lowenhaupt, Connecting.nyc
21:57:10 Hannah Kopelman, Connecting.nyc
23:31:31 Michael Palage, Connecting.nyc
35:29:54 Bill DeBlasio - questions
01:07:01 Frans C. Verhagen, Sustainability Sociologist
01:11:51 Paul Garrin, Name.Space
01:24:37 Antony Van Couvering, Names@Work
01:30:23 Davidson Goldin, Names@Work
01:35:21 Jack Eichenbaum, GISMO

Gale Brewer speaks at One Web Day 2008

2008-10-17T19:33:00.003-04:00

Councilmember Gale Brewer spoke at the celebration of One Web Day 2008 in Washington Sq. Park on Sep 22. Video is below..

Broadband Data Improvement Act Passes Congress

2008-10-01T14:20:00.004-04:00

Adapted from GovTrack.us

"Broadband Data Improvement Act -
Section 3 -
Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to: (1) revise the definitions of advanced telecommunications capability, or broadband; (2) identify tiers of broadband service in which most connections can reliably transmit full-motion, high definition video; and (3) revise certain provider reporting requirements to enable the FCC to identify actual numbers of broadband connections by customer type and geographic area. Requires the FCC to determine certain demographic data for geographical areas that are not served by any provider of advanced telecommunications capability. Requires expansion of the American Community Survey to elicit information to determine whether persons subscribe to Internet service and, if so, by dial-up or broadband.
Section 4 -
Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study to evaluate additional broadband metrics or standards that may be used to provide users with more accurate information about the cost and capability of their broadband connection and to better compare the deployment and penetration of broadband in the United States with other countries. Requires a report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Section 5 -
Requires the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy to conduct a study on the impact of broadband speed and price on small businesses.
Section 6 -
Provides for grants to develop and implement statewide initiatives to identify and track the availability and adoption of broadband services within each state. Requires that the FCC provide eligible entities (nonprofit organizations selected by states to work in partnership with state agencies and private sector partners in identifying and tracking the availability and adoption of broadband services in each state) electronic access to aggregate data collected by the FCC from broadband service providers. Authorizes appropriations."

White Spaces Hearing (webcast)

2008-09-29T14:36:00.010-04:00

or view YouTube Playlist

Full audio:

download

Gale A. Brewer - introduction

Panel 1
Mary Landolfi - Pres. American Federation of Musicians Local 802
Ira Mont - VP Actors Equity Association
Laurie Baskin - Director of Government & Education Programs. Theatre Communications Group
Heidi Mathis - Corporate Relations Manager at The Shubert Organization / Broadway League

Panel 2
Stuart Overby - Senior Director, Global Spectrum Strategy. Motorola, Inc
Marc Berejka - Sr. Director, State Affairs & Public Policy, Microsoft Corp.

Panel 3
Thomas J. Hillgardner - General Counsel For The Association Of Cable Access Producers
David L. Donovan - President, Association For Maximum Service Television, Inc.
Mark Brunner - Senior Director Of Global Public Relations For Shure Inc
James Smith - Producer, Manhattan Neighborhood Network

Panel 4
Joshua Breitbart - Policy Director, People's Production House
http://peoplesproductionhouse.org/dei/whitespacestestimony092908
Dana Spiegel - Executive Director, NYCwireless
Timothy Karr - Campaign Director, Free Press
Chris Keeley - Associate Director, Common Cause/NY

Panel 5
Gracey Stoddard - representing Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney
John V. Weaver - CEO/President, Liberty Imaging LLC

Panel 6
Michael Lewis - Founder, Wireless Harlem
Dharma Dailey - Director of Research, The Ethos Group

Why Broadband Matters (video)

2008-09-26T04:39:00.002-04:00

Here is video of the US Senate Commerce Committee's hearing 'Why Broadband Matters' held on Sep 16 2008.

Download iPod version

Witnesses

Opening Remarks

Panel 1

Mr. Rey Ramsey [testimony]
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
One Economy Corporation

Mr. Larry Cohen
President
Communications Workers of America

Mr. Jonathan Linkous
Executive Director
American Telemedicine Association

Dr. Mara Mayor
Board Member
AARP

Ms. Margaret Conroy
Missouri State Librarian

Mr. Gene Peltola
President and CEO
Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation

TECH COMMITTEE HOLDS WHITE SPACES HEARING

2008-09-16T11:38:00.005-04:00

Council Requests FCC to Slow Digital Switchover

City Hall - On Monday, September 29th at 10:00 AM, Council Member Gale A. Brewer (D-Manhattan), Chair of the Technology in Government Committee, will hold a hearing regarding the FCC’s plans to shutdown the analog frequency in 2009, which will create a huge “white space.”

White spaces, freed radio frequencies due to technological change or unused portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, are opening up opportunities to greater internet access to consumers since the waves can penetrate through walls and travel long distances. The expected digital switchover from analog television broadcasts in February 2009 will open up a large chunk of the U.S. analog frequency for short-range networking.

Current television companies and wireless device users are concerned about the switchover, since they are still using equipment on the analog frequency of 54 MHz to 698 MHz: many wireless microphones use the 600-700 MHz. The cessation from the analogs and the interference of the white space technologies (currently being produced by major technology firms, like Microsoft and Dell) prevent many wireless microphones from working, which are heavily used in major institutions and theatres [e.g., Broadway, Lincoln Center]. Moreover, it is possible that the new white spaces gadgets can interfere with television and other wireless signals on the former frequencies.

Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Member Gale A. Brewer are sponsoring a resolution asking the Federal Communications Commission [FCC] not to promulgate rules until the incumbent analog frequency devices and systems, as well as unlicensed wireless devices, are functioning properly.

The Council Technology in Government Committee will hold the hearing regarding the white spaces on Monday, September 29, 2008 at 10 AM in the Committee Room of City Hall, New York. This is a public meeting and all are welcome to attend.

For further information or to sign up to speak, Samuel Wong, Legislative Aide on Technology, (212) 788-6975/(646) 648 2179 or samwong.529@gmail.com. You can also contact Shula Warren, Chief of Staff, at (212) 788-6975/(347) 668 9576 or swarren@council.nyc.gov.

In addition, on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 10 AM, the Council Technology in Government Committee is holding a hearing on Intro. 54, requiring DoITT to produce an annual technology strategy and that the mayoral agencies submit annual technology plans to DoITT for publication as an addendum to the department’s annual technology strategy. The location is in the Committee Room, City Hall, New York. For further information or to sign up to speak, please contact the staff members mentioned above.

Mayoral Broadband Briefing Video

2008-08-06T12:36:00.004-04:00

An introduction to Mayoral Broadband Briefing is located on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/NewYorkCityBroadband, for your convenience.

The full briefing can be viewed on the post below.

Video of NYC Broadband Study briefing.

2008-08-04T17:52:00.006-04:00

Broadband Advisory Committee Briefing

2008-07-25T11:59:00.005-04:00

On Wednesday, July 30^th at 11:00am there will be a briefing from the Mayor’s Office and Diamond Management & Technology Consultants for the Broadband Advisory Committee regarding the Bloomberg Administration’s plans for bridging the digital divide in New York City.

The Broadband Advisory Committee was established in 2005 with the passage of Introduction 625-A creating a joint public broadband commission to advise the Mayor and the City Council of New York on how the resources of City government can be used to stimulate the private market so that residents and businesses of New York City have more options in terms of high-speed Internet access. The goal of the committee is to educate the general public about broadband and the newest communication technologies, and to give New York City residents the opportunity to comment on how the digital divide in New York City can be closed. To support these efforts the Broadband Advisory Committee has held public Broadband Hearings in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. The Committee will hold its fifth and final hearing in Staten Island this fall.

Diamond Management & Technology Consultants was hired by the New York City Economic Development Corporation to determine the breadth of the digital divide in New York City and develop programs and initiatives to provide greater digital inclusion for all residents. Chris O’Brien, a Partner in Diamond’s Public Sector practice, will be detailing Diamond’s findings and its recommendations for the City’s next steps.

The meeting will take place in the Committee of the Whole Room, City Hall, New York, NY on Wednesday, July 30^that 11:00 am. This is a public meeting and all are welcome to attend. For further information please contact Kunal Malhotra, Director of Legislation & Budget, 212-788-6975 or Kunal.Malhotra@council.nyc.gov

FCC wants free broadband service, plus content filtering

2008-05-27T13:26:00.005-04:00

An arstechnica article reports that the Federal Communications Commission is looking for a bidder to provide nationwide free broadband service. A spokesperson for the Commission has told Ars that the FCC wants it to include "content filters."

The service would utilize 1.9 GHz-2.1 GHz bands, agency Chair Kevin Martin told reporters on Friday. The data will have to download at a minimum of 768 kilobits, Martin said, provided at a "pretty aggressive" build out schedule: Half the United States population must be able to access it after four years, and 95% by the time the license comes up for renewal. The agency will make available about 25 Megahertz of spectrum for this in an Advanced Wireless Services auction (AWS-3)—details to be disclosed in a Report and Order unveiled at the Commission's open meeting scheduled for June 12th.

A company called M2Z has had a proposal in for something like this for some time. It was turned down last September by the FCC for lack of a competitive bid. However one has now appeared from a company called NetfreeUS. The new proposal, in contrast to the centralized nature of M2Z's plan, would lease the spectrum to cities, entrepreneurs, and other groups. Collectively, they would make the band open on a "private commons" basis to peer-to-peer and device-to-device communicators. The plan has received an endorsement from Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ).

The ars article notes that, while other spectrum bidders consider both plans a landgrab fraught with problems, in April 2007 Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto) and Rep. Christopher Cannon (R- UT) introduced the Wireless Internet Nationwide for Families Act (H.R. 5846) which would mandate such a service.

Tim Wu calls for Broadband Czar

2008-04-13T12:53:00.001-04:00

In a recent article In Slate, part of a series where contributors suggest policy initiatives for the next administration, Prof. Tim Wu of Columbia University calls for, amongst other things, the creation of the post of national Broadband Czar.

Tim was interviewed on NPR last Friday and will be speaking at a colloquium at NYU on Wednesday.

From the article:

Most people in technology will tell you that the
leading problem today—the one thing sinking all boats,
so to speak—is the broadband last mile, the final
connection between people and the Internet. Since
2000, computers have become faster, hard drives
cheaper, and free e-mail better, but for the vast
majority of Americans, Internet access remains clunky.
Same goes for wireless broadband (cell phones with
good Internet access), which is arriving, but slowly
and expensively. These facts limit what everyone in
the tech and media industries can imagine as effective
new products. They are also beginning to put the
United States at a disadvantage as compared with
nations in Asia and Europe that have invested more.

It's a daunting problem with a long history of both
public and private failure. Unlike, say, building a
better dating service, broadband is an infrastructure
problem that requires solutions akin to improving
roads or plumbing. National infrastructure policy is
tough, and, at its worst, Bush's approach has borrowed
largely from Emperor Nero.

To start fixing things, the next president should
immediately announce a national broadband policy with
this simple goal: to put the United States back into
undisputed leadership in wireless and wire-line
broadband. But the question is how, and that's where
things get complicated. Proposed fixes abound: pay
Verizon, AT&T, or Comcast to build it? Treat the
Internet's pipes like the interstate highways, and
have the government build them? Use tax credits to
encourage consumers to buy their own fiber
connections? Sell property rights in spectrum or
create a "mesh" wireless commons?

No one really knows what the best answer is. That's
why the next president should appoint a specialized
broadband czar to get after the problem. Right now,
broadband is no one's responsibility, and the buck
keeps getting passed between industry, Congress, the
White House, and the FCC. The point of a czar would be
to make it someone's job to figure out what it will
take to fix broadband.

MORE CITIES OFFER WIFI CONNECTION ON BUSES

2008-04-11T11:33:00.004-04:00

Commuter buses in more than 20 cities now offer wireless Internet, according to an informal survey by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Wireless service is also on some commuter trains. APTA President William Miller predicts wireless Internet will become a service riders expect. Outfitting a bus with wireless capability costs about $1,000 to $2,000, transportation officials said.

[SOURCE: USAToday]

USA ranks #4 in W.E.F. Network Readiness Index

2008-04-09T12:08:00.004-04:00

The United States is ranked 7th worldwide in a Networked Readiness Index in a new report issued by the World Economic Forum. The index is based on a variety of economic and political as well as technical factors.

This is in contrast to last year's OECD report, based on tighter criteria of bandwidth and connectivity, that ranked the United States 19th worldwide.

From a N.Y. Times article about the report:

An O.E.C.D. economist acknowledged the nuances in
taking into account government regulatory and related
factors, and said it was hard to draw a single
conclusion from the data. "I think we can say that a
lot of the situation in the United States is a result
of the lack of competition," said Taylor Reynolds, an
economist in the Internet and Telecommunications Policy
section of the O.E.C.D. "In Europe we have adopted an
unbundling strategy wholeheartedly."

That has led to more competition in markets outside the
United States, he said, which in turn has driven
Internet service providers elsewhere to offer speedier
service and lower prices.

One aspect of global competition that is being watched
closely, he added, is the way fiber optic networks are
being introduced in different regions. Even though the
United States has begun to accelerate the availability
of fiber optic services, it is lagging Europe and Asia
in network speeds.

While Verizon is offering 50 megabit FIOS in the United
States, 100 megabit services are common in Europe, and
the Japanese are offering 1 gigabit services.

Still, there are puzzling aspects to the American
market, which has higher broadband availability than
many countries but lower adoption rates. More customers
have retained dial-up services than most countries,
which might be explained by price or lack of attractive
broadband services.

The report concludes:

Establishing a pervasive and prosperous Internet culture
is as much about creating the right business environment
as it is about adopting the right technology. If governments-
national, regional, and municipal - want to
harness the potential of ICT, they must not only invest
in ICT infrastructure and the capabilities to support it,
but also be ready to modify their country’s relevant
institutional setting - or ICT ecosystem - to allow ICT
to yield its transformative powers.

More info: The Global Information Technology Report 2007-2008

NY Times editorial on Broadband

2008-04-08T16:14:00.004-04:00

An editorial in the Mar 29 2008 New York Times notes Earthlink's turnabout in Philadelphia, and calls for continued efforts to bring universal access.

The article concludes:

Broadband service is no longer a luxury. It has become a basic part of the infrastructure of education and democracy. EarthLink should fulfill the commitments it made. Even in these tough economic times, cities should keep pushing municipal Wi-Fi and looking for partners and plans that can make it a reality.

Universal Broadband Grants for New York announced

2008-03-20T20:04:00.000-04:00

Mar 19: New York Governor David A. Paterson announced that nine public/private sector partnerships will be the first recipients of grants from the New York State Council for Universal Broadband. The funds are targeted to help promote the research, design and implementation of innovative solutions to create affordable broadband Internet access for underserved urban and rural communities throughout the state.

Amongst the recipients were an initiative to bring broadband over power lines (BPL) to Onondaga County and a program to bring a year's free access to residents of the Mount Hope community housing project in the Bronx. Naturally our illustrious chairman is to be congratulated on the latter.

In 2007, the New York State Legislature appropriated $5 million to provide seed money to be awarded through the Council. To leverage the funds, the Council required a minimum dollar-for-dollar match in the form of cash, in-kind goods and services, or a combination of the two. The value of the matching cash and in-kind services from the nine award recipients totals more than $15.1 million.

More than 50 applications were received for the first year of funding and the proposed 2008-09 budget includes $15 million to continue the program.

Press Release: http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/press_0319082.html

Grant Recipients: http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/pdf/press_0319082.pdf

ISOC-NY: New York State Council for Universal Broadband

Summary of testimony at Queens Public Hearing

2008-03-06T19:53:00.005-05:00

Below is a quick summary I made for ISOC-NY of the testimony at the Queens Public hearing.

At the hearing an updated Briefing on Broadband Access to the Internet in New York City was issued.

Summary of testimony

01 David Birdsell - Introductions

Neil Pariser
Tom Dunne
Anthony Townsend
David Wicks
Wendy Lader
Mitchel Ahlbaum

02 Cindy Freidmutter - Vice President of External Affairs at LaGuardia Community College - http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/

Welcome

03 Larry Pressler - Former U.S. Senator (R-SD) - http://www.larrypressler.com/

Sen. Pressler is author of the 1996 Telecommunications Act.

Gale: should e-rate be expanded?

Yes. Sen. Pressler is working on an article that will recommend that the 1996 act be brought up to date particularly the Snowe-Rockefeller amendment.
It's important that the NYCBAC make its concerns known to Washington.

04 Gale Brewer & James Sanders - introductory remarks

Work of this Committee is combined with the Economic Development Corp.
Technology is fast changing.
NYC ahead of the curve compared to other cities.
Public participation is vital.

05 Frank Pasquale, Professor, Seton Hall University School of Law http://law.shu.edu/faculty/fulltime_faculty/pasquafa/pasquale.html

Broadband infrastructure essential to economy.
Digital divide 1) between rich and poor in the USA.
Digital Divide 2) between USA and other advanced countries.
Government co-investment needed to meet goals.

Gale : How do we achieve goals without federal support?

While maintaining net neutrality explore taxation of successful application providers.

06 Joshua Breitbart, Policy Director, Peoples Production House - http://peoplesproductionhouse.org/

Audio testimony of Arturo from Ridgewood, Queens and Beverly from Canarsie, Brooklyn
PPH teaches radio production & media literacy including tech in NYC middle & high schools.
New program - Digital Expansion Initiative to educate public on broadband access.
Brietbart will submit comments on CD from field interviews with immigrants and others without access to the committee.

Tom: Does PPH work with community access organizations?

Community grant funded video project with MNN for high schools on explaining internet technology.

Gale: Vis-a-vis PPH 'Road NYC' program the committee would be glad to meet with immigrants, perhaps with simultaneous translation, to discuss broadband.

This could be done. Meetings would not necessarily have to be lengthy.

David: Top two suggestions for improving public engagement on broadband issue?

Evening meetings
Update website

07 Takeshi Utsumi, PhD, Global University System / Columbia University

35 years experience in internetworking
creating Global University System with HQ in Tampere, Finland
Japan & Korea way ahead of USA - consumers pay $50/mth for 100-160 mbps,
While Brooklyn Poly/Columbia U. have 100mbps - major Japanese Universities have 100gbps & local universities have 1gbps
There is a 1.3 tera bps connection between Japan and Siberia
a 2 tera bps is being promulgated between Japan and Africa, with Japan Gov, finance $10-20 billion
Asian Development Bank is developing a fibre super highway alomg the old Silk Road.
NYC should be a dynamic information center, yet Prof. Utsumi has 10mbps which drops to 5mpbs via Time Warner.
NYC ought to devise at least a 1 terabit trunkline throughout 5 boroughs then implement free wireless access.
Education software is becoming free, the connection needs to also be free.
Mere multimedia content capability is not sufficient - applications like videoconferencing, collaborative engineering simulations need more bandwidth

Anthony: Is the city at a disadvantage for attracting scientific research because of bandwidth deficiency?

Yes. When Prof. Utsumi started there was only one other computer the equivalent of Brooklyn Poly. While everyone else has progressed Brooklyn Poly has stayed the same.

Gale: Should the national government spend billions of dollars like other countries?

Prof. Utsumi has been working with Finland. Finland is #1 on vocational training. The first thing to spend money on is education in K12.

Neil: What in particular is effect of lack of bandwidth on Brooklyn Poly?

With 1gbps students can work on virtual reality, collaborative 3d modeling, on a global scale. Educational video needs to be of high quality.

08 Computers For Youth - http://www.cfy.org

Bill Rappel, National Director for the Affiliate Network.

3 students that are testifying are from I.S.204. http://www.is204.org/
CFY promotes a rich home learning environment in partnership with schools.
CFY's programs select middle school and provides every 6th grader with computer w/ standalone educational software.
Going forward software will increasingly require broadband access.

Rema McCoy, Student Software Team Manager

Student volunteers participate in Saturday sessions evaluating educational software
All three students testifying are participants in the program.
Increasingly submitted software requires online connectivity so this year, via co-operation with cable operators, all participants have received free broadband.

Samuel Fok, I.S. 204 student

All students should have fast and inexpensive internet at home, helps with research and do home work faster and on time.
Time is wasted waiting for access at the library. One of Sam's projects got deleted.
Video material in particular needs broadband.

Nadia Betancor, I.S. 204

All students should have fast and inexpensive internet at home, it gives you information at your fingertips.
It helps you find out what is happening in other parts of the world.
Internet access is a useful and important research resource for school projects.
Home access is easier, quieter, more enjoyable, comfortable, and relaxing.
Home access saves time and having to walk to the library (although walking is good exercise).
Nadia also does research for her family, and is able to help her brother and her sister with their homework.

Daisy Garcia, I.S. 204

All students should have fast and inexpensive internet at home, kids need it to do research for their homework.
With home access, it is possible explore freely without the pressure of time limits or worries of losing data.

Mitchel: Where do you learn how to use the internet?

Daisy: School
Samuel: Parents
Nadia: School

Gale: Do other kids in your class have Internet at home? How much help is it at school if you have it at home?

Sam: Many kids have dial-up, but only one in 27 in his class had dsl o. Some web-pages use a lot of a memory and it makes projects slow. A project that takes a day on broadband can take a week on dial-up.
Nadia: Not everyone. They have to go to the library. Home access would be a big help.
Daisy: Only a few have cable Internet. Home access is much faster than going to the library.

Neil: What was the last project you needed internet for, and for which library access was insufficient.

Daisy. Black History Month. Thurgood Marshall.
Nadia. Same project. In the library sometimes they won't have a book on the person you have been assigned, while on the computer you just type in the name and the information comes up.
Samuel. Has been working for some time on a Science Fair project. Researching information on the human nervous system. With dial-up progress was slow. Now with broadband, project is almost finished.

Neil: Have you given up going to the library now that you have internet?

Sam: Not given up, but the 35 minutes it takes for him to walk to the library he can work on his project.
Daisy: Still goes to the library for books.
Nadia: likes reading, and takes her brother and sister so they can increase their reading skills.

David Wicks: With home access do parents get involved in school projects?

Daisy: Yes. Leads to conversation.
Nadia: Yes. Parents make helpful suggestions.
Samuel: Yes. Dad checks that he's focused.

Wendy: Do your parents know how to go online?

Sam: Parents know how to go online, but need help.
Daisy: is teaching her parents. Dad is getting the hang of it.
Nadia: helps her Mom.

Wendy: Are there any studies on the percentage of broadband usership amongst CFY participants?

Bill: will forward information to the Committee.

Wendy: Is CFY providing broadband for other schools?

Bill: apart from software evaluators at I.S.204. there is a pilot program with Cablevision in The Bronx where all CFY families are provided with 8 hours of free access - they can then elect to sign up for dial-up at $9/month, payable with check or money order.

Wendy: Was it successful? Will it be expanded?

Bill: Too early to say. While many families were already signed up for triple-play, among the rest many were reluctant to sign up at all for reasons that are not clear.

David Wicks: Website?

Bill: http://www.cfy.org - in the news section there is an informative video.

David: Nadia, how has home access changed tutoring your brother and sister?

Nadia: Instead of going to the library, I can just access the information.

Davis: Do your friends come over to use your broadband?

Sam: Not really.
Daisy: No.
Nadia: Yes. A friend comes over to do her projects.

09 Scott Wolpow - IT professional http://www.publiccto.com/

Hearing could be streamed live?
Concerns with access providers:
- Net Neutrality - restricting access infringes first amendment rights
- Throttled bandwidth - ditto, and while occasionally justifiable should be fully disclosed
- Blocked ports - limit parents ability to to monitor children, VOIP, smart refrigerators and other innovative applications, often is undisclosed
- Undisclosed real speeds.
- Arbitrary data transfer limits.

Anthony: Are these behaviors inhibiting New Yorkers ability to develop new projects and services?

100%. Yes.

10 Daniel Dragan - broadband customer

Lack of competition - extremely difficult for new players.
Access via Libraries - valuable free resource
Internet cafe's - cheap alternative
Lack of middle ground between consumer and business class connections.
Municipal broadband fails because it overestimates potential customers and is uncompetitive
Universal Service Fund. Should fund broadband access.
Internet speeds are not increasing.
Looks forward to the day when entire world is a global LAN
dsl access is not available in all parts of the city
Resellers are ill served by broadband providers
Small businesses can be hit with big line charges to install commercial grade access
Industrial parks being a particular example.

Wendy: Which industrial parks?

Brooklyn Navy Yards

Wendy: I think that's been remedied.

11 Bruce Lincoln - Urban Cyberspace Initiative

submitted testimony
Involved in a pilot project in Harlem to develop technology entrepreneurship community centers in the NYCHA properties.
In the information age all citizens need 1) access 2) training, and 3) services.
Recently attended 'State of the Internet' and 'Future of Broadband' conferences and was surprised to find goal was limited to 10mbps to 100mbps.
For immersive distance-learning and tele-medicine apps symmetric bandwidth in the 1gbps range is imperative.
Incumbents have little interest in radical redevelopment of their networks, particularly in under-served markets.
Metroscale Regional Cyberspace Initiative (MERCI) is a hybrid fiber/wireless model developed at MIT.
Apart from social benefits the MERCI model is designed to break even financially in 36 months.
MERCI is undergoing tests in several communities including Harlem, & Jackson Mississippi.

Gale: What is necessary for ubiquitous coverage? For instance, in Jackson?

Long term agreement with municipality
Using incumbent redundant fiber.
Access to city's assets. Towers, lightposts, etc.
In Jackson backhaul provided by Entergy thus no conflict of interest.

James: How much costs involved in Mississippi projects?

Couched in the context of a green development with Carlton Brown Co., built into the overall bond
Cost in Jackson was $1.95m
Delta project was $500.000 - looking for funding from Rural Broadband Telecommunications Authority of the US Dept. of Agriculture

James: So how much for Queens?

A basic deployment in Queens - $500,000
A basic deployment in the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone - $365,000

Neil: So are you an IP provider or are just putting in infrastructure?

Not an IP provider - commercialized advanced technology.
Previously worked with Columbia U. and City on Community Tech Centers
In contrast to Philadelphia mesh system emphasis is on smart green buildings with private developers
System is then gifted to community via co-operative ownership.
Consortial partners provide equipment and services.

Neil: Harlem project is $365,00. What will we see for that?

Initially 1mpbs wireless cloud from 116th to 175th St's.
Custom access devices will either be manufactured in China or by Nokia which will access computational services on the network.

Neil: It will be wired?

It will be wired, with fiber and WiMax backhaul.

David: What regulatory relief would be required to do this on a broad scale.

The incumbents would need to be held at bay.
With this in mind we are forming these non-profit consortia so there is community ownership of the network.

12 Thomas Lowenhaupt - Connecting.nyc - http://www.connectingnyc.org/

Founded connecting.nyc - a non-profit with the purpose of acquiring .nyc top level domain
Developing Internet vital for city.
Without it's own namespace and adequate telecommunications NYC may become a hasbeen .
NYC is joined in the drive for a city TLD by Paris and Berlin.
100mpbs is insufficient as goal
Almost 200 years ago a similar advisory board laid out the Manhattan street plan.

Gale: What progress on .nyc?

In 2001 Community Board 3 passed a resolution suggesting acquisition of .nyc
Idea lay mostly dormant until Berlin got in touch a year ago, and then non-profit was formed.
Participating for a year in ICANN process, and will attend ICANN meeting in Paris in June.

13 Sonya Park, Program Director of New York Metro Area, National Fund for Teaching Entrepreneurship - http://www.nfte.com/

Since 1987 have trained over 30.000 in entrepreneurship via creation of business plans.
Many students are from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Emphasis is on self-empowerment.
Research, and thus Internet access is a vital component.

Gail: Do students have access at home?

Primary access is at schools/libraries.
NFTE maintains a bank of computers at its office in Wall St. for alumni students.
Pilot program of business centers around the City.

Gail: Once students graduate, lacking home access, library or your center is the only option?

Libraries and community centers are good options, but opportunities are restricted.

Jose: What are your top 3 recommendations for access?

Availability in schools. Quality is variable. Upgrading school's access/equipment/software should be a priority.
After school access should be provided.
Subsidized home access for disadvantaged students with computers.

Jose: How important are community-based organizations as an access option?

Many CBO's offer programs but not general access.
Greater availability needed.

14 Barbara Colwell, Executive Director, ThinkQuest NYC - http://www.tqnyc.org/

submitted brochure
ThinkQuest hosts annual competitions where teams of students build websites.
15.000 students in all 5 boroughs have participated.
75% of schools involved have the majority of students on reduced priced lunch.
The internet has changed learning and communication.
Critical information for kids such as healthcare, scholarships, and community is available via the internet.
Broadband is necessary, dialup is no longer effective.
Broadband should be available to everone in the city.

Anthony: Is your group based in NYC. Are your sponsors, such as Apple & Pearson NYC based?

Yes. Local Apple and Pearson people help with teacher training on weekends.

Anthony: Have you approached any of the Telecom companies?

Verizon have been approached and it was suggested that they provide some free access. None has been forthcoming.

Shaun: How do you suggest home access be provided?

If the providers were to provide access free or low-cost to people who qualify under poverty levels the whole problem would be solved.
A recent Georgetown U. study found that broadband access is discriminated, both racially and economically, against those most desperately in need of the quality of life improvements it provides.

15. Mary Vavruska, Queens Borough Chamber of Commerce http://www.queenschamber.org/

submitted testimony
Every year improving broadband access is part of the Queens Chamber legislative platform.
Improved access is essential for global competitiveness.
Seniors need broadband to take advantage of remote health monitoring options.
Lack of access might hamper Homeland Security abilities.
It is time to conclude study and take action.

Gale: What's the state of small business internet usage in Queens?

Queens Chamber has regular seminars on technology.
A grant has been received to assist business in adoption of best practices and technology.
A database of available interns has been established on the Queens Chamber website.

Queens Hearing of the NYC Broadband Advisory Committee

2008-03-03T17:22:00.011-05:00

On March 3rd, 2008 the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee met at LaGuardia Community College in Queens. The Committee heard from many members of the Queens nonprofit, academic, and small business community. Furthermore, the Committee also heard from special guest former U.S. Senator Larry Pressler (R-SD), who was a member of Congress for 22 years: 18 in the U.S. Senate, four in the U.S. House. Senator Pressler authored the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Click To Play

You can find download links for audio and an iPod-compatible version of the video below.

* audio
video

Bronx BAC Official Hearing Testimony March 30

2008-01-08T12:44:00.001-05:00
Official Hearing Testimony of the Bronx Broadband Advisory Committee Hearing - March 30, 2007.

Please click on the following link to download the Bronx Hearing Transcript

Broadband Advisory Committee Comes to Manhattan

2007-12-05T19:16:00.001-05:00
On Wednesday, December 12th, from 1pm until 4pm at the Manhattan School of Music, Greenfield Hall the Broadband Advisory Committee will meet.

Let us know why a fast - and affordable - Internet connection is useful and important to you. If broadband is not available in your home, business or organization, or if it is too expensive, the members of the joint Mayoral-City Council Broadband Advisory Committee want to hear from you. To testify, call 212.788.6975 or email Kunal.Malhotra[at]council.nyc.gov.

NYC Broadband Advisory Committee August 6, 2007, Meeting

2007-09-11T01:38:00.002-04:00
The following are notes from the August 6, 2007 NYC Broadband Advisory Committee Meeting courtesy of Mr. Joshua Breitbart, Policy Director of People's Production House.

Committee members in attendance:
Anthony Townsend
Stand-in for Tom Dunne (Verizon representative)
Shaun Belle
Elisabeth Stock
Wendy Lader
David Birdsell
Andrew Rasiej
Mitch Ahlbaum
Howard Szarfarc
Avi Dandevani
Jose Rodriguez

Audience members:
Council Member Gale Brewer
Brewer's Chief of Staff Bruce Lai
Jeffrey Baker, Counsel to the Committee on Technology in Government
Diamond Consultants
and me, Joshua Breitbart

Testifying:
Ted Brodheim, the recently-hired Chief Information Officer for the NYC Department of Education. (4 months on the job)

Summary notes of Mr. Brodheim’s testimony
The challenge is that any DOE program utilizing broadband in the home needs to be implemented equitably. Dept. of Education is not implementing programs now due to imbalance in home broadband access.

Schools are no longer geographically specific. Neighborhood-based schools allowed for after-school interaction. “The web offers the possibility to bring that collaboration back into the educational process.”

If broadband inequity were removed tomorrow, it would be “all about collaboration tools for students.” It would enable teachers to put up research, content, and supplemental materials on the web allowing students to add pieces to it.

In his opinion, the barrier to Internet access is the cost of the service. There needs to be a no- or low-cost way to provide broadband access. If it can’t be universal, then it should at least serve an entire grade level (probably high elementary or middle school).

He is trying to track down the amount the Dept. of Ed. spends on ICT. Off of the top of his head, he’d guess it’s 5-700 million, including telecom costs (phone, blackberries).

The Internet has "tremendous potential to unlock what happens in the classroom and extend it out into the homes and the community."

Question: What affect does access have on student performance?
Efficiency, or productivity in the classroom, not studied much, but unquestionably higher. Students and teachers become way more efficient in the classroom. There's a high impact on student achievement. This fall, the DOE is giving 6000 teachers (out of 90,000) laptops and broadband access as a pilot project to seed the idea of using technology along these lines.

Schools are only open 15% of the time, so there is idle bandwidth, which could, as Anthony Townsend put it, "make schools as an oasis for broadband." But there are restrictions from e-rate federal funding. Can't open e-rate to public or use it to wire administrative offices. Reimbursement rates are at 95%, so it's a hard argument to shift to another funding source

Question: Textbooks are expensive, so could there be a provision for savings on textbooks for utilizing broadband?
Answer: No answer available.

Question: Are the teachers ready to implement Internet into their curriculum?
Answer: Some are ready now and some would get ready. But, some won't get ready. However, They want to do the right thing, as long as we give them what they need.

DOE has a network of 95 miles of heavy fiber, several hundred miles of spurs, and hundreds of thousands of nodes. It receives about 100,000 denial-of-service (DOS) attacks every day. They are trying to balance the protection of the integrity of the network and recognizing that we don't know where the next best idea will come from. They're also working on tools to allow schools to share info, like through wikis, where they write about what works and what doesn't, to help them get over the learning curve. It has to be done in the context of protecting the integrity of the network.

"You name the model, we've got it." With support from Microsoft, Cisco, and others, New York is "a virtual national lab of schools of the future."

He's looking to package tech options - using tech support models, etc. Schools know their problems, but not necessarily the solutions. They're looking to better leverage resources they now have. He's looking for a couple of base models for k-5, middle school, high school, to give an idea of what schools should look like from a technological standpoint. DOE is developing school profiles, groups of 30-100 schools, with school support organizations to target solutions at those common schools. They are trying to do that with software, etc.

There's a new system - ARIS - (achievement reporting system) to make reporting available to teachers and principals this year and parents next year. Currently reports are mailed home, but these reports will be more frequently updated and have more information. But that doesn't address inequity in terms of parents without Internet access.

DOE has not done hard statistics on the inequity, but in the future they may include broadband questions in new surveys.

Some schools have assumptions that everyone has access, while others assume that no one has access. Schools try to keep computer labs open after hours.

Students limited in ability to research colleges and prepare themselves for going through the application process, even if it hasn't necessarily limited the actual submission of applications. Need to improve tools around searching, searching for scholarships, etc.

Currently talking with Secretary of Ed. Spelling and the FCC to re-interpret e-rate rules. They are too much about laying physical cable, and not allowing for a move into the next generation of technology, specifically, collaborative tools, and maintenance. E-rate can't be spent on upgrades for 6 years even though the hardware becomes outdated in 3 years. Also, they only allow you to buy things. There's no training on any of the ways to make the things useful.

Distance learning: DOE hasn't done much on it, but if they did it would address students missing school and collaboration with school districts outside of the city.

Question: How much tech is in the curriculum? How is it integrated?
Answer: It's been left to each school to decide, so I can't answer. There's no clear model. Schools that are doing a good job have figured it out on their own – the good and bad. Now we're looking to identify what's working well, package it, and move it into other locations. It's up to principals, so it's possible for students to go through school without using, although I would be surprised if that is that were the case.

Question from Mitch Ahlbaum (DOITT): The first step, before talking about computers at home, is to make sure they are actually being used in the schools.

Answer: There are 400,000 high school students. Ratio of 4:1 (students to student-available computers); not 100% of those computers are connected to the Internet. It's close to 90% but it's not evenly distributed across schools. Every school outside of District 75 (special education) has some access.

Question from Elisabeth Stock, Computers For Youth: How is your office connected to the instructional side? How can you do that as best as possible?

Answer: We're working quite closely now, though that had not been the case in the past.

There are 1500 schools and we now understand the need for flexibility across those schools

We work with a number of nonprofit organizations, and received a modest grant from Gates to form more of those partnerships. There's no hard demographic data on access to these programs and we don't actively seek such grants, just had a chance at this one grant

Question from Andrew Rasiej: Will the market solve the problems or should government intervene?
Answer: "Market forces will not address this on their own."

END OF TESTIMONY

Other matters:

David Birdsell: There have been consistent themes in the Bronx and Brooklyn: What people want to do but can’t do, including content creation, video content, community web-based development. They can't do it because affordable broadband is not available. Let's take themes and get data beyond the anecdotal level.
There's a lack of awareness of opportunities from people who aren't functioning within a broadband environment. There's a lack of imagination impressed by a tendency to define broadband in terms of what we have today (768k, 1.5mb - not the 20mb or 50mb rates we might dream about) - "We should be thinking about what might be rather than getting people on board with what we have today."

There's a plan to do 3 more hearings this year - In September, October, and a report due at the end of the year. The Committee will be working out those dates in the next couple of weeks

Shaun Belle: Ongoing theme - there's no master plan, yet the ability to deliver the platform is there, there's just not a lot of emphasis around it. No one is thinking about the issue outside of their own agency or outside of the school

We're looking for real data. What are we looking to present at the end of the day?

Wendy Lader: On the timing of report: City Hall asked for more info, so the report is still in the works. We will present an overview to Committee members before it is prepared for release.
On the surveys - over 1000 responses to the NYCHA survey from 6700 selected.
2000 responses to paper surveys in 58 libraries.
We need a few more months.

Anthony Townsend: On underutilized infrastructure from schools, libraries, public safety
"What can we do to get extra value out of what the City is already investing in?"
There is redundant infrastructure that is all underutilized, including a proposed $500 million network for NYPD and municipal agencies.
Andrew Rasiej: That $500 million could be leveraged
Gale Brewer agrees and would appreciate help making that happen.

Andrew Rasiej: We should be working on some potential recommendations.

David Birdsell – Our task has three parts:
1. Describe situation on the ground
2. Describe the world we would like to see exist - what to aspire to? Bandwidth, cost
3. How to get there?
We should be looking at other cities' ability to roll out affordable 20mb broadband.

Andrew Rasiej: Who can provide us with information to compare NYC to other cities in the US and internationally? Let's have a chat with Diamond so we at least know what they’re presenting.

Wendy Lader: Maybe it will be a month, or a month and a half to get an overview.

The contract between EDC and Diamond Consultants is funded through an IDA grant.

Andrew Rasiej: What can we do to make sure that our recommendations get done?

Shaun Belle: What commitment do we have from the Mayor to act?

Gale Brewer: The Council doesn't know what to do. We could devote funding, but how do you sustain and maintain a public-private partnership? An initiative is more likely than big change in policy.

Elisabeth Stock: Should we address duopoly?
Franchise is up in 2008. Mitch Ahlbaum (DOITT) is knowledgeable on that.

Elisabeth Stock: What money available from the state, that new $5 million?
Brewer’s office will look into it.

END OF MEETING

Joshua Breitbart, Policy Director
People's Production House
265 Canal Street, suite 410
New York, NY 10013
212-334-7433
www.peoplesproductionhouse.org

MAY 22 -- Brooklyn Hearing -- Testimonies

2007-06-13T17:52:00.001-04:00
The following are the testimonies from the Brooklyn Hearing held on May 22. Click on "Read More" to see each testimony (In order of appearance at the hearing).

2007-06-13T17:48:00.003-04:00
Thomas Kamber
Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Video Clip

Policy Brief:
Improving Access to Affordable High-Speed
Internet Service for Older Adults

Overview

Every New Yorker should have access to affordable high-speed Internet from home, but the need is particularly urgent for senior citizens—especially the home-bound elderly. Older adults can use computers to overcome social isolation, connect to health information, and access government services, but fewer than one in four senior citizens is online today. As a result, one of the most important tools for improving the quality of life of aging New Yorkers is unavailable to the majority of households, primarily as a result of high cost. Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) recommends that the City of New York, together with providers of telecommunications services, create a program to make affordable Internet service available to low-income elderly residents of the city, with special focus on those living alone with mobility impairments.

Why Senior Citizens Need Broadband Access

There is a great deal at stake for older adults in the Digital Age: The pervasive reach of technology has fundamentally changed the way that Americans connect to their families, communities, government and society. From mundane activities such as shopping and reading the news, to life-and-death needs like health care and social contact, technology has become an indispensable tool for living. In 1996, an individual might be correct in assuming that computers, the World-Wide Web, digital video and high-speed Internet access were primarily tools of the business world, universities or technology specialists. Just ten years later, these devices and resources are in common daily use in the vast majority of American households.

The importance of technology as a tool for living well has been discussed and elaborated in many publications and studies. Yet, it is worth pausing to acknowledge the range of opportunities for older adults that are strongly tied to digital resources:

• A recent study by the Congressional Government Accountability Office found that the federal Medicare telephone hotline gave out inaccurate or incomplete information 39 percent of the time. Experts report that the Medicare.gov website is the only resource that allows seniors to compare all available “Part D” plans together with the list of medications used by an individual.
• BenefitsCheckUp.org, sponsored by the National Council on Aging, provides an opportunity for users to consider their eligibility for over 1300 different public benefit programs, averaging over 50 programs per state. More than 1.2 million people have used the service.
• A recent study by the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development found that two-thirds of American workers plan to continue working past the traditional age of retirement, many who need the income to continue to live independently. Yet with information workers now accounting for more than 70 percent of the American labor force, older applicants who often lack technology skills are at a distinct disadvantage.

Perhaps the greatest challenge faced by older adults in the Digital Age is social isolation. Escalating social isolation among senior citizens has recently been called “a formula for disaster” by researchers. As growing numbers of older adults today seek to “age in place” at home, they rely increasingly on community-based social networks for assistance with health care, services and daily necessities. Unfortunately, these networks break down all too often: nearly one-third of low-income seniors who live alone report going for weeks at a time with no direct social contact from friends or neighbors.

The Internet can be a veritable life-line for the home-bound elderly. Seniors who live at home and have mobility impairments are at particular risk for loneliness and social isolation. For these individuals, a computer can serve as a powerful tool for connecting to friends and family, for accessing news and information, and for managing information about health care, finances and over vital topics.

Access to the Internet can help older adults live better, more independent lives in communities across New York City. Unfortunately, age is a very strong predictor of Internet use. A recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that just 22 percent of Americans over the age of 65 use the Internet. Young people, by contrast, are the most intensive users of technology: 79 percent of teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 go online regularly, together with nearly 20 percent of pre-schoolers, ages 3-4.

Current Trends

A combination of market forces and social initiatives is helping to close the technology gap for senior citizens in New York City, yet the lack of affordable broadband access for seniors continues to be a major obstacle to large-scale change. Nonprofit organizations, foundations and corporate sponsors are doing important work to train seniors and help them gain access to computer hardware at home and in community technology centers around the city. Lower costs for hardware and software, along with more senior-friendly interfaces and applications, are bringing the benefits of technology to more older adults every year, but the high cost of Internet access remain a serious barrier for many seniors.

Poverty among New York City seniors is rising at an alarming pace and is now almost double the national rate. Nearly 18 percent of New York seniors live in poverty, according to the 2000 Census, an 8 percent increase over the previous decade. One-third of people over the age of 65 live alone (319,000 individuals), and 39 percent have a disability that impairs their mobility or their ability to care for themselves.

In the face of these disturbing statistics, however, many initiatives are under way to help older adults—especially those living alone, in poverty, or with disabilities—gain access to free or low-cost technology to improve their lives:
• OATS and Per Scholas, supported by the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, recently launched an ambitious program to teach computer skills to 500 low-income senior citizens and install free refurbished desktop computers in their homes. The program, called Comp2Seniors, has already served nearly 200 seniors and is meeting with enthusiastic responses from participants. Bronx-based partners include RAIN, Mt. Hope Housing, Phipps West Farms, and Castle Hill Senior Center.
• Mt. Hope Housing Company is wiring over 1200 units of low-income housing for affordable Internet access, and is partnering with OATS and other nonprofits to make enable hundreds of older adults can participate in using the new technology.
• Jewish Home and Hospital Lifecare Systems recently launched a pilot project with OATS to train JHH volunteers to teach technology skills to home-bound senior citizens.
• IBM has donated 200 computers left over from the Republican National Convention to senior centers around the city, enhancing locally available resources for training and supporting older adults who wish to learn technology. OATS recently received a grant from IBM to load software for the visually impaired on desktops at multiple community technology locations that serve seniors.
• OATS has expanded its technology training programs for older adults to over 20 locations citywide. The organization taught 622 class sessions free-of-charge to seniors in 2006, and has developed three levels of curriculum that are taught in an intergenerational format using high school students to co-teach the classes. OATS has launched a digital community for older adults at www.seniorplanet.org to provide a platform online for older adults to share resources, events, and blog commentary.

These initiatives represent significant commitment from the nonprofit, corporate, and philanthropy sectors to help low-income older adults get access to hardware, training, and support as they seek to participate more fully in the digital age.

Recommendations

Lack of affordable broadband access remains is a serious obstacle to overcoming the technology gap for seniors—and is possibly the area where the least progress is being made. Falling prices for desktops and software, along with high-capacity programs such as the Per Scholas Comp2Seniors initiative, are putting computers within reach for even the lowest-income seniors. Training and outreach programs run free-of-charge by OATS and its 20 nonprofit partners around the city are enhancing the skills and knowledge of thousands of older adults each year. But for the approximately 50,000 elderly New Yorkers living alone on less than the poverty threshold of $8980 a year, a $480 annual broadband bill is simply not within reach.

OATS recommends that the City of New York create a mechanism for making free or affordable high-speed Internet access available to low-income senior citizens. Such a measure could be implemented as a government subsidy or voluntary price reduction by service providers, and could be negotiated as part of cable TV franchising agreements. Specifically, the City should:

1. Provide preference for seniors living below the poverty line
2. Provide preference for individuals living alone and those living with mobility disabilities
3. Coordinate the subsidy to link to training, support, and hardware distribution programs that are already serving this population
4. Support the continuation and expansion of training, support, and hardware initiatives for seniors.

If the budget for the Department for the Aging were increased by 2 percent to help pay for a comprehensive program of connecting older adults to technology resources and the Internet, $4.6 million dollars would be available to address this critical problem. Such a program could serve thousands of low-income older adults each year with low-cost or free Internet access, computer training, intergenerational programs, free or low-cost refurbished computers, technical support, and online resources.

Home-based Internet access, which is taken for granted by the vast majority of Americans but is still beyond the reach of most senior citizens, is the linchpin for a broad range of life resources today. It should be emphasized that the purpose of a public technology program for seniors is to leverage the power of technology to help older adults overcome social isolation, improve health information and financial management, and connect to government services.

The City of New York currently provides a range of needed programs for older individuals to ensure their quality of life, including transportation services, home-based nutrition counseling, and employment services. OATS believes that increased access to technology is an important way to enhance and extend the services we currently provide, enabling us to enrich the lives of thousands of vulnerable older adults with a cost-effective program that builds on initiatives currently supported by a broad range of community-based and nonprofit organizations across New York City.

2007-06-13T17:42:00.001-04:00
Carlos Pareja
Education Program Manager, Brooklyn Community Access TV (BCAT)

Video Clip

My name is Carlos Pareja and I manage the education program at Brooklyn Community Access TV just down Fulton Street from here.

Our community producers and our interns are here now taping this event to share with others in our community. Communications binds a community, that’s why we’re here.

Brooklyn is a borough of 2.5 million people of diverse origins, speaking dozens of languages and we at BCAT serve everyone who lives within this great borough.

People come to BCAT from Red Hook, Midwood, Gravesend, Bedford-Stuyvesant and other neighborhoods to use their community media center to create video content for television or to use their multimedia lab to launch an open source internet browser, use a hi-speed T-1 line and work on their video blog, update their resume, their production reels or CVs and build on the knowledge gained from a community learning environment.

And then they’ll go home with some valuable skills and the confidence to enter or re-enter the workforce with a secure feeling that they’re not being left behind. That their neighborhoods will benefit from rigorous build out requirements and effectual oversight.

The fight for broadband must be connected to the media justice movement.

As an access center charged with meeting the media needs of the Brooklyn community, someday we may be loaning out WiFi cell phones with video-capturing capabilities to our community producers to document their neighborhoods. And then they’ll upload the content at some public hot spot to a BCAT server, so they can continue to speak to their community.

Technology and its rapid advancement is a tool, a means for achieving a purposeful end, but what that purpose ends up to be needs to be supported by sound, public-interest policy. That is the role of government. A broadband future where connectivity is based on the principles of universal service is what Brooklyn and NYC’s broadband plan should be.

I thank this committee for taking the time to hear from the people of Brooklyn and the representatives of their community media center.

2007-06-13T17:38:00.002-04:00
Steven Schechter
Director of Government and Community Affairs, Brooklyn Public Library

Video Clip 1: Steven Schechter (NYC Council)

Video Clip 2: Steven Schechter (NYC Council)

Testimony before NYC Broadband Advisory Committee

• Representing BPL Executive Director Dionne Mack Harvin

• Thank members of Committee for providing BPL the opportunity to testify

• BPL recognizes the importance of its role as one of the City’s largest providers of free Broadband access. We know that for many in Brooklyn, we provide the only access to a PC and to the Internet.

• BPL has made a significant investment in new technology over the past several years ensure that we have system that meets the needs of our users – we have replaced every public PC, invested in network infrastructure to improve the reliability of our broadband connection and now provide free WiFi at every location for those with their own wireless devices. Let me talk about some basic facts about our system.

- We provide library service from 59 neighborhood branches, one within walking distance of every Brooklynite, and maintain a network of more than 1000 public PCs

- More than 1 million Brooklynites have an Access Brooklyn Card (ABC), Brooklyn Public Library’s card, which of course allows them to borrow books, but for many, more importantly, sign up for two free 30 minute sessions on a PC with Internet access every day

- Demand for the Internet usage we provide is demonstrated in the strong demand for this service. BPL provided library patrons 160,000 30-minute sessions per month in the most recent quarter – we are on a pace to provide almost 2 million Internet sessions in the Fiscal Year about to end in June.

• Anecdote - Statistics show the demand, but what we see every day at our libraries also shows the strong demand for access to the Internet – almost every morning before we open, and in the evening after we close, staff at the Central Library and at neighborhood libraries reports patrons with their own laptops and other wireless devices outside of our buildings – leaning on fences and sitting on stoops – taking advantage of the WiFi signal that we provide 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

So while many patrons have their own laptops, many can’t afford or don’t want to make the investment in a high-speed internet connection at home. We think this really demonstrates the strong demand for broadband access in Brooklyn.

2007-06-13T17:35:00.002-04:00
Ed Michiels
Marketing Director AdvantageFinacialService.com
Advantage Brokerage, Inc.

Video Clip 7: Ed Michaels (formerly unemployed)

Ed Michiels, Marketing Director
AdvantageFinancialService.com
Advantage Brokerage, Inc.

In response to inquiry of Sewell Chan, NY Times:
Sewell Chan
Reporter | The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street | New York, N.Y. 10036

Re: Ed Michiels Testimony
Re: Broadband hearing - City Council committee meeting Brooklyn 5/23/2007.

Ed Michiels
Marketing Director
AdvantageFinacialService.com
Advantage Brokerage, Inc.

After listening in attendance on 5/23/2007 to the comments of Mr. Thomas Kamber, Executive Director, (O.A.T.S.) Older Adults Technology Services and others; I am compelled to remark on my personal experience as a 911 survivor and recently re-employed Babyboomer.

Broadband access is essential to re-employment research, either personally or through community based programs.

Born in Brooklyn, and living in Brooklyn at the time of 911 here in NYC, and losing my employment in the financial district in lower Manhattan as a 911 survivor, I was employed as a Career Counselor at the 911 crisis center established in Brooklyn, at The Site provided by Goodwill Industies of NY and funded by the HRA dept of NYC. As such I provided services to those like myself who survived this event seeking re-employment.

After the program was closed, I was eligible to be accepted into a Community Program serviced by PACE University’s C.L.O.U.T. program. This program was funded to provide office professionals like myself with an opportunity to upgrade our computer skills, which resulted in a follow up internship and employment at a Fortune 500 (100) company.

That employment was recently terminated as a result of a corporate reorganization decision. As a 55 year old city resident it was necessary to use resources for employment research once again. The facts are the older we are the more challenging re-employment can become. Every resource available is a necessary resource that can impact our city budget by re-employing our citizens. Resources to address re-employment of our citizens is vital to people of all ages, especially those in pre-retirement age to avoid becoming a burden to the city.

The reality of today’s labor market is technology has impacted re-employment job research to the extent that now the NYS Labor dept issues an ATM card to former employees to receive unemployment benefits. That being the case, the city can use this as a resource to identify people who could be eligible for reduced broadband service rates.

In my case I formally had internet dial up service provided by AOL and switched to Time Warner Cable with a program that allowed AOL customers to receive this service for less than $20.00 per month. As this was a reasonable rate I choose to use broadband service from TWC, my cable service provider. The improved internet access improved my ability to reach out to prospective employers and keep in touch with family and friends. Avoiding isolation due to changes in employment is vital to address immediate needs both financially and socially. In today’s competitve economy, when faced with employment research, broadband access is as vital as telephone service.

Reasonable competitive rates should be made available to individuals who would qualify for these rates as negotiated under terms and conditions agreed to by the City Council and Broadband Service Providers.

I would also like to reaffirm the HIGH SCHOOL students who made comments at the hearing, in particular that 1 class, or year of computer training in high school today is inadequate to provide students with the basic skills they need to prepare for college education and lifetime employment. My 3 children have college educations and 2 have Master degrees. The internet broadband access they utilize is 2nd nature.

As programs servicing the community become more internet dependant for delivery of their services, access to broadband service needs to be affordable and accessible to all.

The budget of our public libraries need to be provided a line item resource to facilitate this need in our communities, for both staff and hardware in addition to cost effective residential and business broadband rates.
###

— Posted by Ed Michiels

2007-06-13T17:31:00.002-04:00
Akosua K. Albritton, Technology Columnist for Our Time Press, a Brooklyn newspaper

Video Clip 9: Akosua Albritton (Our Time Press)

I begin by thanking Borough President Marty Markowitz, Councilwoman Gale Brewer and the NYC Broadband Advisory Committee for knowing how important it is to hear from Brooklyn’s families; businesses and nonprofits about their needs for telecommunication upgrade using broadband technology. It is unfortunate that the public hearing is scheduled for 12 noon to 3:00 PM here. After 5 PM, there would be an even larger turnout.

While we’re debating whether broadband infrastructure is necessary, nations and cities across the globe are laying it down, setting up Wi Fi and Wi Max. Since 2000, The Intelligent Community Forum and Polytechnic University present Building the Broadband Economy Conference and Awards. Last week, I met with Julius Timothy, Minister of Economic Development and Planning for Dominica, Dr. Stephan Brennan from The Digital Hub in Dublin, Ireland and Shaun Belle, president of Mt. Hope Housing Co. in The Bronx. Belle of Mount Hope was there because Mount Hope Housing Company was up for the Intelligent Facility of the Year Award. I say Brooklyn must get in the game and in a hurry.

Broadband is high speed, reliable Internet service. It is today’s communication technology advance the way, the telegraph, telephone and TV were in their day. In 2007, we would think it a waste of time to debate whether people need a phone in their homes, businesses or institutions.

Broadband will become just that common and integral in a blink of an eye. It’s happening now. People need fast, reliable Internet service in Brooklyn. Broadband relates to the bandwidth or the capacity for the wire or fiber optics to transmit voice, video and data. Today, people are doing their banking, making purchases, researching and watching videos on the Internet. It’s possible to take college courses, talk over the Internet and connect with friends tens of thousands of miles away. In fact, students in America are making friends with students in Australia and Africa by installing a web cam and microphone to a PC. It’s as if they’re looking at each other through a window. People need broadband because of the use of video to transmit ideas online and real time.

Businesses need websites, email and a variety of social media to stay competitive. Media experts say that major advertisers are cutting their TV advertising budgets because more people are using the Internet as a trusted source for news, information and entertainment. People are using search engines to find products and services the way telephone directories were used in the 60’s and 70’s. Small and large firms need to regularly submit their sites to search engines and consider various web marketing to be found, visited and patronized. Doesn’t this sound familiar? Remember when stores relied heavily on flyer distribution? Now, it’s email advertising.

All neighborhoods in Brooklyn deserve this access—and at a low price. A working family shouldn’t be blocked from getting high speed, wide bandwidth connection. That barrier may keep someone from taking a course to improve her life circumstances or watch streaming video about a medical procedure. New York City Council recently passed a resolution to ensure that households in publicly financed housing will be web-enabled and that the monthly fee for service should be no more than ten dollars.

As for myself, I blog, email advertise, maintain a website, have a My Space page and watch videos on You Tube. I look forward to the next offerings on the Internet.

2007-06-13T17:29:00.002-04:00
Antwuan Wallace, Ph.D. student in policy analysis, New School

Video Clip 22A: Antwuan Wallace (Graduate Student)

Video Clip 22B: Antwuan Wallace (Graduate Student)

Summary

Digital Inclusion (DI) is an important and ongoing policy concern for two reasons: (1) understanding and deconstructing structural barriers low-income, ethnic-minority youth accessing (infrastructure) and using (devices) Information Communication Technologies (ICT) and (2) redressing intergovernmental policy fissures in existing and emerging digital divides. Several arguments are considered to bolster this position.

First, the pending reauthorization of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 has amplified a muted, though ongoing debate between policymakers, analysts, academics and activists about the “digital divide”. US “digital divide” policy now centers on broadband deployment (Litan, 2006; National league of Cities Conference 2006; Crandall and Jackson 2001), especially in poor communities of color (Turner 2005). US public policy choices have reflected assumptions that persistent divides will find remedy through private standard setting that relies on industry self-governance to foster competition in the marketplace driven by technological innovation and consumer choice (Thierer 2000a). As a result, the US federal government’s role in technology-related programmatic approaches and policy solutions for vulnerable segments of the population has spurred the substantive disagreement about the existence of a “digital divide” (Herrmann 2006; Servon 2002; US Department of Commerce 2001).

Second, US cities are firmly establishing themselves as principal parties within the broadband policy sphere. Cities are creating DI through municipal wireless plans that would deliver broadband connectivity to commercial and residential areas. Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath evidence how telecommunication policy is perhaps the new civil rights legislation determing whether working poor communities are to be materially misrepresented or altogether disappeared from policy debates about economic development, electoral politics and civic participation in the digital age. The tenenous realities of race, class, gender, poverty and geographic location frame the US “digital divide” and robustly suggest the need for direct action from policymakers and planners.
DI often includes a mission statement and incentives specifically directed at addressing the varied and multiple constituencies of the “digital divide”. Subsequently, DI may be understood as a municipal response to federal and state governments’ neglect of the “digital divide”.

Third, the theoretical underpinnings of the information society’s “informational mode of development” enable dualism paradigm with spatial flows of capital investment that excludes poor communities and set in motion material consequences for the residentially poor in the United States. Thus, formidable obstacles arise for urban poor residents where the social, cultural and technical emergence of information processes are the core fundamental activity conditioning the effectiveness and productivity. These changes in social and economic realities manifest in the global labor market realignments and international financial flows that affect end-users’ ability to construct an identity and develop social relationships with technology. Wilson’s (1987 and 1996) urban decay analysis maintains that social and economic upheavals continue to greatly affect the emergence of concentration and persistent joblessness in black and Latino communities Simply put, in an informational-driven society the working poor are isolated and separated with less access and the fewest alternatives to meaningful networks.

Finally, compelling research documents unequal ICT access that leaves behind specific constituencies: low-income households, people of color, immigrant populations and youth. Quantitative analysis of the 2003 Current Population Survey (CPS) indicates disparities for poor youth of color. Farlie (2004a) estimates that only slightly more than half of all African-American and Latino children and less than half of all children living in families with incomes less than $30,000 have access to home computer. In comparison, 85 percent of white, non-Latino children and 94 percent of children in families with $60,000 of income have access to home computers. Analysis from the 2001 CPS indicates that only about 1 percent of young people ages 8-25 used the Internet at a community center, compared to 10 percent who use the Internet at libraries and 54 percent who went online at school (Farlie 2004b). Yet, the community center use rate has increased seven-fold since 1998, and African-Americans and Latinos are more likely to access and use ICT in these centers than are their white counterparts. Many working poor communities struggle to locate resources to fund and staff quality programs that provide opportunities with technology to surmount formidable barriers, especially where youth are concerned.

My research preliminarily explores key dimensions of DI planning and implementation. How are current DI policies shaping the ways low-income ethnic-minority youth access and use technology in community centers, do they extend critical networks for these youth and to what extent does DI fill gaps between federal, state and local telecommunications policy?

2007-06-13T17:24:00.002-04:00
Steven Masur
MasurLaw
Lawyer for start-up businesses in New York City

Testimony of Steven Masur
New York City
Broadband Advisory Committee
Jointly with the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President\

May 22, 2007

Masurlaw is a law firm that helps new businesses and business divisions start, grow, chart their future path and execute on it. Over the last 14 years, we have worked with hundreds of early stage businesses and new divisions of larger corporations to help them strategize, do deals, create and protect their intellectual property.

We represent the community of starting businesses in New York.

If we in New York want to be competitive with places like Silicon Valley, Mumbai, or Shanghai, we need cheap widespread broadband access in New York. New York has great colleges and universities. New York has smart people. New York has capital. New York is known worldwide as a desirable place to live. Why don't we have a more vibrant start-up community?

If we care about the future of New York, we need to focus on our pipeline of new businesses. We need to whip up all the good ingredients we have into a froth of new business innovation.

Let's make it EASY for people. Widespread cheap broadband access can help the process.

If people could connect to the internet anywhere in New York City, people could more easily share ideas, work on projects, and research topics of all kinds. A primordial soup of new ideas and interaction would result and would grow exponentially. This is the well from which the ideas that change the world spring.

Interaction and sharing information is what makes New York hum. It's why we are all here. It's the basis of all of our historical success.

Should access to the internet be limited to rich people? Is it only rich people who have good ideas? Why would we want to perpetuate a situation in which only rich people have access to a universal library of information on any topic and the ability to communicate instantaneously?

In an earlier age of our country, J.P. Morgan understood the importance of free access to information. He cared so much about it that he financed the establishment of a network of libraries nationwide. J.P. Morgan was not perfect by any means, but he knew that this was the key to creating a bright future for our country and could prevent it from sliding into a dark age of violence, disease, chaos and mayhem. If you consider the wild west at that time and relate it to the dark ages in Europe and the developing nations of today, you can easily see that our country could have gone in a completely different direction. The loss of the library at Alexandria set not only one group of people, but all of humanity back an incalculable number of years.

Now we have technology that can make knowledge on any topic and communication with anyone on earth instantaneous. Open it up. Grant cheap access. We have free water, let's have free information. Information is our future.

It's a lot cheaper to do this than to create a national network of libraries. Let's do better than JP Morgan.

Now.

Steven Masur
MasurLaw

MAY 22, Brooklyn Hearing - Thanks!

2007-06-12T15:28:00.001-04:00
On May 22, at Brooklyn Borough Hall, the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee held its second public hearing, and listened to testimony from dozens of Brooklyn residents. Many thanks to everyone who was involved with the event.

2007-06-12T14:33:00.002-04:00
Audio of the Brooklyn Hearing available here.
Press Release Available Here:

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
COUNCIL MEMBER GALE A. BREWER
CITY HALL
NEW YORK, NY 10007
TEL: : 212-788-6975

NEED FOR SPEED!
BREWER BRINGS BROADBAND COMMISSION TO BROOKLYN

May 22, 2007 – This afternoon in Brooklyn Borough Hall, the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee, a joint Mayoral-City Council commission, listened to testimony from dozens of Brooklyn residents, both young and old, business owners, and non-profit leaders, including the Brooklyn Public Library, about the importance of inexpensive and reliable access to a high-speed Internet connection (or a broadband connection). The Council Member Gale A. Brewer – the Chair of the New York City Council’s Committee on Technology in Government – sponsored the event, along with the Office of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and several members of the New York City Council, including Council Members Albert Vann, Letitia James, Bill De Blasio, Vincent Gentile, Diana Reyna, Oliver Koppell, James Sanders and Simcha Felder.

Council Member Brewer addressed the need for affordable access to broadband in order to improve the quality of life of – and economic opportunities for – all New Yorkers.

“New York is the most dynamic city in the world, but when it comes to the Internet, we’re stuck in the dial-up age,” said Council Member Brewer. “We need use broadband to bring in jobs, help schools, and make the city safer. There are over 1.1 million schoolchildren in New York City public schools. Shouldn’t they all have access to the vast information resources of the Internet in the home as well?”

“The Broadband Committee has been engaged with the critical task of exploring the role that NYC Government can play in addressing the issues that impact access to broadband connectivity throughout our city. The Committee is pleased to host its first Brooklyn event and given that the borough is experiencing significant economic development, it is equally important to gain greater understanding as to the needs and recommendations of its residents and business owners as it relates to the challenges to high-speed Internet access,” said Shaun Belle, Chair of the Advisory Committee and President and CEO of the innovative community development corporation, Mount Hope Housing Corporation, located in the Bronx.

“These hearings are critical to focusing broad political attention and building consensus for the need to guarantee all New Yorkers an opportunity to participate in the 21st century economy,” said Andrew Rasiej, an Advisory Committee Member and the Founder of the Personal Democracy Forum and MOUSE.

“Being connected isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Everyone from job seekers to students, from senior citizens to small business owners, needs a high-speed Internet connection today to compete and to access basic services. Borough President Marty Markowitz and I support the work of the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee, and strongly believe that if we are ever to bridge the economic divide—or the opportunity divide—we must bridge the digital divide,” said Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham, representing Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

“By closing the digital divide, we bring opportunity to many who are traditionally left behind, such as seniors and residents of public housing. In this day and age, a high-speed internet connection is a requirement for finding a job, enrolling in college, and many other basic chores. I thank Council Member Brewer and the Broadband Advisory Committee for all the excellent work they are doing to advance this important agenda,” said Council Member Letitia James of Brooklyn, a member of the New York City Council’s Committee on Technology in Government.

"These days, high speed internet is not just an amenity. We have to work together to find ways to provide fast and reliable internet access to all New Yorkers," said Council Member Vincent Gentile of Brooklyn.

Across the country, local governments are responding to this issue in ways that meet the specific needs of their communities. Major broadband initiatives are underway in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta and Houston. In his inaugural State of the State address, Governor Eliot Spitzer committed to universal, affordable access to broadband for the entire state of New York. New York City government has yet to announce its own strategy to bring universal affordable broadband to all of New York City’s 8 million residents.

US Senator Hillary Clinton, US Senator Chuck Schumer, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps all submitted statements of support for the work of the NYC Broadband Advisory Committee.

“Today, one of the greatest catalysts for fostering economic opportunity and opening up new worlds to young and old is access to the Internet. For many people, especially those in underserved communities, the digital divide has not been closed. In order for people to realize the benefits of this technology for education, employment, and training, they must have the infrastructure in place. We must help bring the power of technology into people’s lives, especially in underserved areas like Brooklyn, with the hope that every family can have the tools for success in today’s technology-rich economy,” said Senator Hillary Clinton.

“In a world that is increasingly reliant on high-speed, easily accessible Internet, not having high-speed Internet access is like not having air to breathe," said Senator Charles Schumer. "Broadband technology is the lifeblood of the new economy, and to keep New York City at the forefront of the 21st century global market, it is vital that residents, businesses and visitors in the city have access to high-speed, quality, universal Internet to connect them wherever they may be.”

Speaker Quinn said, "The Digital Divide is a serious issue facing our society, so I applaud the attention Council Member Brewer has brought to this issue. Here in New York City, many underserved communities won't survive in this new Information Age without the technical knowledge many of us take for granted. The bottom line is we need to use out-of-the box-thinking to ensure that today's technology is used to improve the future of New Yorkers. This Broadband Advisory Committee hearing, and the ones to follow in the coming months, is the first major step toward truly bridging the technology gap."

Federal Communications Commissioner Michael J. Copps expressed his support of the Advisory Committee’s work. “This must be a high national priority if our communities and our country are going to be competitive and successful in the 21st century,” wrote Commissioner Copps in a note to the Advisory Committee.

The New York Council passed Local Law 126 in December 2005, a bill sponsored by Council Member Gale Brewer (http://nyccouncil.info/issues/intros_act.cfm?intro=Int%200625%2D2005). The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Mayor and the City Council on how to bring an affordable high-speed Internet connection to all New York City residents, nonprofit organizations and businesses. The hearing in Brooklyn is the second in a series of five public hearings that will be convened in every borough of the City. The remaining hearings are scheduled to be held in the fall of 2007.

Currently, the United States ranks only 15th in the world for the number of broadband users per capita. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 27% of American households are still not using the Internet at all and “those with less education, those with lower household incomes, and Americans age 65 and older are less likely to have embraced broadband than those who are younger and have higher socio-economic status.”

A full list of Committee members, along with their bios, is available at the unofficial website of the NYC Broadband Advisory Committee: http://www.nycbroadband.blogspot.com/.

###

2007-06-12T14:00:00.002-04:00
Video of the Brooklyn Hearing
Available here:

PART 1: Thomas Kamber, Lester Johnson, & Garrison Phillips (OATS)

PART 2: Greg Sutton & Carlos Pareja (BCAT)

PART 3: Yvonne Graham (Brooklyn Dep. Boro. Pres.)

PART 4A: Steven Schecter (Brooklyn Public Library)

PART 4B: Steven Schecter (Brooklyn Public Library)

PART 5: Bill DeBlasio (NYC Council)

PART 6: Michael Sanon (high school student)

PART 7: Ed Michaels (formerly unemployed)

PART 8: Yamel Young & Jazmin Williams (high school students)

PART 9: Akosua Albritton (Our Time Press)

PART 10: Luis Rivera (Southwest Brooklyn IDC)

PART 11A: Adiatu Tarawaley (Non Profit Helpdesk)

PART 11B: Adiatu Tarawaley (Non Profit Helpdesk)

PART 12: Marc Baizman (NPower New York)

PART 13: Steve D'Agustino (Fordham University RETC)

PART 14: David Elcock (Dot Org Technologies)

PART 15A: Michael Dillon (IBM)

PART 15B: Michael Dillon (IBM)

PART 16: Barney Lehrer (Federation Of International Trade Assns.)

PART 17: Bruce Kushnick (TeleTruth)

PART 18: Hector Munoz (LISTA)

PART 19: Don Chesley (Stevens Inst. of Technology)

PART 20: Andrew Martin (DOROT)

PART 21: Matthew Elsner (Brooklynite)

PART 22A: Antwuan Wallace (Graduate Student)

PART 22B: Antwuan Wallace (Graduate Student)

PART 23: Conclusion - David Birdsell, Gale Brewer, Shaun Belle

Press coverage

2007-06-12T13:47:00.001-04:00
Here are are some articles about the Broadband Advisory Committee and the Brooklyn hearing:

NY Daily News
The New York Times

A word from...

2007-06-12T13:07:00.001-04:00
Eliot Spitzer

"In the 21st Century, Internet access is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. The economic, education, health, security, government efficiency and social benefits from universal broadband access are limitless. That is why the efforts of the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee are so important. Together, we must make sure that every New Yorker has access to affordable high-speed Internet."

Brooklyn Hearing - May 22

2007-04-25T14:42:00.001-04:00

We have finalized the date, time and place for the Brooklyn hearing, the second step of our series of public hearings.

When: Tuesday, May 22nd from Noon to 3 pm
Where: Courtroom hearing room of Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon St, Downtown Brooklyn
Subway: Conveniently located next to the Borough Hall stop on the 2/3 and 4/5 lines; and within walking distance of the the Borough Hall stop on the A/C and F lines and the Court St. stop on the R and M lines

Brooklyn Hearing flyer

2007-04-25T14:13:00.001-04:00
Below is the flyer of the Brooklyn Hearing.
If you would like a copy, please feel free to let us know!

Broadband Briefing Paper

2007-04-25T14:03:00.001-04:00
A briefing paper providing general information on broadband in New York is available here.

The Future of Digital New York City

2007-04-20T12:08:00.001-04:00

Bruce Lai, Chief of Staff to Council Member gale A. Brewer published an article on "the Future of Digital New York City" in the Huffington Post.

Here is the link to the article.

Broadband Advisory Committee Meeting 4/17/2007

2007-04-20T11:56:00.001-04:00

The Broadband Advisory Committee held a meeting on April 17, 2007.

Here are the minutes:

"The following members of the Broadband Advisory Committee were present: Mitchel Ahlbaum, Shaun Belle, David Birdsell, Tom Dunne, Avi Duvdevani, Wendy Lader, Jose L. Rodriguez, Howard Szarfarc, Anthony Townsend, David Wicks.

Gale Brewer welcomed all of the attendees and briefly commented on the success of the Bronx public hearing.

Wendy Lader opened up requesting nominations for Chair of the Committee. Shaun Belle was nominated by Wendy, seconded by Tom Dunne. A vote was taken on the nomination, which was unanimously approved.

The next hearing is likely to take place on May 22, 2007 in Brooklyn Borough Hall. City Council staff will confirm this date soon with the members."

A word from Shaun Belle

2007-04-20T11:05:00.001-04:00

A word from Shaun Belle, Chair of the Committee:

"First, I am honored to be a member of the NYC Broadband Advisory Committee and to have been elected Committee Chair at the April 17,2007 meeting. I value the opportunity to work with City Council Member and Technology Chair, Gail Brewer and a committee comprised of prestigious leaders in the field of Broadband Technology, Education and Telecommunications.

The establishment of the Broadband Advisory Committee as provided by Local Law 126, will afford the committee an opportunity to engage the general public and citywide experts in exploring the status of the Broadband platform, its applications and users throughout New York City.

As Broadband Advisory Committee Chair, my commitment is to utilize the expertise of our committee members to advise the Mayor and City Council Speaker as to what options are available to New York City government and private sector as it seeks to develop a systematic approach to developing a citywide strategy to address the access to Broadband technologies . It is our intention to examine opportunities that will facilitate both broadband access and deployment as a platform to foster education, business development and e-community resources for New Yorkers and in particular those who have been historically impacted by the digital divide."

"City Leaders Think NYC's Middle Class Is Screwed"

2007-04-20T10:52:00.001-04:00

An article from Jen Chung in the Gothamist:

The Drum Major Institute released a study titled "Saving Our Middle Class", which suggests that NYC's middle class continues to be under more and more strain. DMI surveyed a number of city leaders and found:

- It's harder to enter the middle class: 92% "agree that it is harder to enter the middle class today than it was ten years ago."

- They believe middle-class income is now between $75,000 and $135,000 for families of four (it's between $45,000 and $90,000 for single individuals), while NYC median income is $49,374 a year.
- Essentials of middle-class standards of living include health insurance, owning a computer with internet access, holding a full-time job, and sending children to a quality public school.

- Only a third found that owning a house, condo or co-op is a middle-class essential.

- Affordable rent and health insurance are big challenges for the middle classn.

Take the Poll

And the results were released during the DMI's conference about the middle class yesterday. In what the NY Sun and NY Times both called a preview of the 2009 mayoral race, City Comptroller William Thompson, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion and Representative Anthony Weiner were present; City Councilman John Liu was also there (he wasn't mentioned in the Times). Wei! ner apparently sparred with both Liu and Carrion; Thompson wasn't on their panel, but he did mention the "barbell effect" - "low-income people and higher-income people expanding, and those in the middle being squeezed" (via the Times).

Baruch public-affairs professor Douglas Muzzio told the Sun the middle class "has to be" a major issue in the 2009 mayoral race.

Bronx Hearing - Testimonies

2007-04-04T15:28:00.001-04:00
You will find below testimonies from the Bronx Hearing held on March 30.
Click on "Read More" to see each testimony.

2007-04-04T14:20:00.001-04:00
Kayza Kleinman
Director, Nonprofit Helpdesk
Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island

Good Morning

My name is Kayza Kleinman, and I am the director of the Nonprofit Helpdesk, which provides Technology and Fiscal Management services to nonprofit organizations throughout the city, including those in the Bronx. Our almost two decades in the field has given us a thorough insight into the needs of the organizations who serve the community.

In order to understand the need, it=s important to understand the community. In 2002, approximately 10 percent of all households in the Bronx consisted of seniors living alone. Over 20% of the population has some disability, this is a really significant number.

With over 64% of all households not having access to a car, and public transportation not being ideal, that translates to a very large number of people who are going to have trouble getting around - whether to a government office, a library, or to a job.

That undoubtedly is a real factor in some troubling statistics. Close to 18% of all female headed households with children under five lived under the poverty line. While 70% of the adult population without disabilities was employed, only 31.9% of those with disabilities was employed. Almost 69% of seniors live under the poverty line, and that does not even take into account the higher incidence of high medical related expenses incurred in that group.

(All numbers have been taken from the US Census Bureau=s American Community Survey for 2002)

The community, and the organizations that serve it, need every tool they can get in trying to deal with the problems presented by these realities. Stable, reliable, fast, affordable broadband connections are one such tool.

How?

On an individual level, there are two major areas where broadband can be very valuable. Firstly, it makes tele-commuting, either part of the time, or even full time, a realistic possibility. It=s not hard to understand what this can mean to people with limited mobility, or for parents with few affordable child-care options. Keep in mind that if a parent needs to pay almost as much per hour for child care as she earns, working is not practical. But, if she only needs to do that for a small number of the hours she works, that can drastically change the situation. Similarly, if someone has other mobility issues, the trek to work would not be feasibly every day, but might be manageable once a week, making even a part time tele-commuting arrangement a viable option for many people who could not manage working full time at an employer=s location.

The second area that broadband could improve is access to information and services. While internet access cannot entirely replace the need for visits to government or CBO offices to gain access to services, being able to find out what services are available, what you need to do to apply, sometimes even to get the forms you need to fill out, and to find out who can give you the help you need to get those services can make all the difference in the world. This is true even for people with no major challenges. Think about what it means to someone with young children, and no childcare or someone who can=t get down the stairs to the local subway. But, it=s not just government services. IT=s medical information, safety information etc. And, it=s education, as well. A person who may not be able to travel to school for some reason could still get the education they need to move beyond the limited circumstances they find themselves in, and get a chance to move up.

On an organizational level, the issue of access to information and services is also crucial. Organizations need to be able to access information about a range of items - government grants, services available to their constituencies, information about regulations and legal issues affecting their constituents and themselves.

But, there is far more to be gained. The internet offers powerful tools for organizations in pursuing their goals - tool for advocacy, collaboration with others, outreach to their constituencies, and public education. But, mist are not realistically usable without broadband connections.

And then there is the issue of government and funder mandates. Many, many funders require the use, to some extent or other, of the internet as part of their reporting requirements. In most cases, these requirements mean that it is not possible to record services, or sometimes even fill out applications, unless a fast, stable internet connection is constantly available. I have seen first hand, how disruptive an internet outage can be to an organization that must process this kind of information on line. I have also seen, first hand, how cavalier some companies can be about such problems, with little concern for the hardships posed to their customers.

What it all comes down to is that broadband access is no longer a luxury. It has become an extremely important tool in the fight against poverty and hardship. Organizations and individuals need access to connections that are affordable, fast and reliable. While the City cannot wave a magic wand and make that happen, it is truly important that it use all the tools available to encourage the provision of such service, as well as a responsible attitude on the part of internet service providers.

Thank you

2007-04-04T14:10:00.001-04:00
Andrew Gallagher
Public school teacher from the Bronx

Good morning, my name is Andrew Gallagher and I am an Instructional Technology Coach at The Bronx Writing Academy. On behalf of the students and staff of our school, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today.

Our school was founded in 2004, with the aim of developing the literacy skills of our student community through a variety of educational opportunities. One proven strategy, is the effective use of technology in every subject area. In less than 3 years, we have moved from a school using minimal technology, with a faculty reluctant to integrate technology tools, and where the relevance of technology resources was undervalued, to a school working to fulfill the demands of an increasingly tech-savvy faculty, and “tech-hungry” student body. We have increased our technology equipment each year in an effort to meet these demands. We have been recognized, with several honors, for our after-school Technology program called MOUSE Squad. For those unfamiliar with MOUSE Squad, this is a program that provides students with leadership, technology, and soft skills such as teamwork, collaboration, project management, and communication, in order for them to provide technology support in their school. In June of 2006, we were awarded MOUSE Squad of the Year and, just six months ago, we had the privilege of welcoming Bronx Borough President, Mr. Carrion, to our school to receive a proclamation. The Borough President was able to see, first-hand, some amazing Internet resources being utilized. At the same time, he was able to speak to students and staff regarding the limitations we face each day, in terms of bringing these resources to our students. Access to a reliable, high-speed Internet connection, and the ability to maintain an outdated Internet infrastructure persists within our school, and similar schools throughout the Bronx. So again, we thank Mr. Carrion for the financial commitment he made to the Bronx Writing Academy.

Equitable access to the World Wide Web, and the wealth of information available through the Internet is, without doubt, one of the most significant issues facing our school system today. Nowhere is this more apparent than in under-served, underprivileged schools, such as The Bronx Writing Academy. Eighty percent of our students are eligible for free and reduced lunch, and the implications of this extend beyond the school, into the homes and living environments of each of those students. Interestingly, only 20% of our parents indicated their children have computer and Internet access at home.

BWA is fortunate to have collegial teams of highly dedicated, creative teachers, who continue to integrate technology tools into their curriculum, with the aim of providing authentic, relevant skills in all subject areas. On any given day, however, there is a very real sense of uncertainty in terms of whether the Internet and the resources they have spent so long collecting, will be available due to the adverse affects of our poor wireless Internet connection. The hard work, and increased interest our staff demonstrates, signifies how relevant they believe the use of technology is across the curriculum. The superb efforts of our MOUSE Squad students in supporting the use of Technology and maintaining or repairing equipment, indicates the high level of interest they have in technology. And, the creation of my own role demonstrates the commitment of our Principal and faculty, and what can be achieved in a relatively short period of time. As a result, we have exhibited continuous improvements in ELA and Math test scores, for three years in a row. In ELA, we have moved from 22% of students at proficiency level in 2004, to over 30% in 2006. Similarly, our Math scores indicate a 7 percent increase for the same period. In addition, we have reduced the number of students performing at the lowest levels in both ELA and Math (a 21.4% and 9.3% decrease respectively). This is, in no small part, due to the commitment of students and teachers alike to address differentiated instruction through the increased, effective use of technology tools.

We have made, and continue to make significant strides in terms of technology integration, yet there remains a great deal to achieve at the Bronx Writing Academy, and schools throughout our borough. In order to continue in the same vein, and provide the very best educational resources, it is absolutely necessary for our students and faculty to have access to a reliable, high-speed Internet connection. Within each classroom, at any point of the instructional day, there is a genuine concern our ideas will not be realized because the infrastructure cannot cope with more than 30 students accessing the same website at the same time.

Current, and future generations will require relevant 21st century ICT skills in order to enter a workforce increasingly driven by technology. The Internet, World Wide Web, and technology tools will continue to play a vital role in developing social skills, and very real understandings of the world beyond the Bronx, New York City, and the USA. To deny students opportunities to a reliable Internet connection, both in school and their home environments, is to deny opportunities to develop those skills necessary to succeed in any number of professions.

The emergence of new technology tools such as PodCasting, blogging, safe networking sites such as Think.com or e-Chalk, and the vast array of interactive online activities, increasingly demands the attention of both students and teachers as a way to enhance learning opportunities. The reasons for this are clear!

• The variety of online resources appeals to the multiple intelligences of our diverse student populations!
• Internet tools provide platforms for authentic and relevant Inquiry, Constructivist, Problem-based and Project-based learning.
• Students are provided opportunities to participate in learning beyond the textbook!
• Differentiated instruction becomes a tangible reality for teachers and students alike!
• The numerous possibilities to communicate with peers, contemporaries, and mentors throughout the world.
• The ability to produce publishable work available to a global audience becomes a reality!
• And, the Internet allows students to research and investigate beyond their immediate environment in order to return answers, data and information truly relevant to their lives.

All of these possibilities, however, will remain undiscovered if connection issues remain a low priority. It is inconceivable that textbooks, paper, pens, pencils, or worksheets would not be provided to students. All are, quite rightly, a necessity within any school environment. Yet, there remains a barrier, or reluctance, to accept that as part of our current, technology-driven world, Internet access is not viewed as an equally significant resource, relevant to each and every one of our students.

The Digital Divide continues to dominate the lives of students throughout the Bronx, but no longer is this divide solely centered on issues of purchasing equipment, or being able to afford working computers and software. There is now the added issue of access to the vast array of online resources, communication tools, interactive websites, and authoring tools available via the Internet. As educators, policy makers, budget controllers, and concerned citizens of New York City, we must support the notion that our student communities need to work in environments where high-speed Internet access is viewed as a truly vital element in their educational development.

If ever there is a doubt concerning the significance and relevance of Internet resources, and the high-speed connections needed to access them, please visit any classroom in any of our city schools. Speak to students about the possibilities they see through increased use of the Internet, and the disparity of availability they know exists between themselves, and those students in rural school districts.

Thank you again for your time, and for allowing me the opportunity to present a case for improving the Internet infrastructure of our city public schools. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have at this time.

2007-04-04T14:09:00.001-04:00
Angel Aracena
M.A., Director of Educational Technology for West Farms Technology & Career Center, Bronx

Aracena: Good afternoon members of the panel and Honorable NYC Council Members, my name is Angel Aracena, M.A., and I am here representing Phipps Community Development Corporation. I am the Director of Educational Technology at the West Farms Technology & Career Center.

My job is to ensure that the members of the Bronx community, where I am situated, have access to the Internet and computer classes such as Microsoft Office applications, Photoshop and other media software, Internet and e-mail training, and open lab access to our computers.

West Farms services 500 people a week through a variety of programs housed in the same building that include an Employment Program, an ESL & Literacy Program, and the Educational Technology Program. It is the dynamic interplay between these programs that sustains our center as a necessary community resource hub resulting in high retention rates of students and clients seeking computer and Internet training. Not only is the Educational Technology Program a stand-alone program that offers bilingual classes, it also supports and is responsible for integrating technology into our other programs.

The West Farms Technology & Career Center also has its own web site (http://www.phippswestfarsm.org), apart from Phipps Houses, our parent company, and is approaching 4000 visits a month. WFTCC has proven itself to be a valuable dynamic resource for the community it serves directly and for many people throughout the Bronx and New York City, for we also have students that commute from Queens, as deep as Bayside, and all parts of Manhattan to receive our free services. Phipps can continue to provide these services with the support of government grants and funds so that we may duplicate our proven model and most especially, improve our Internet and technology services and classes.

To cut short my testimony, I am also here to offer my recommendations when the city moves forward with accessible and affordable Broadband access for all of New York City. I think it’s a great idea to make Broadband Internet access affordable and more available. However, not only do our students stand to benefit greatly from such widespread availability of broadband, this access also presents dangers of which we hear of so often in the media in the form of tragedies. Broadband should be set up with safety parameters and to also include classes and training for parents and professionals on the dangers of the Internet. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that 1 in 7 young people are sexually solicited or approached online (Source). We must do more to ensure the safety of our city’s youth as we progress into a technological culture.

My last recommendation stems from my experience working at WFTCC. Childcare is an obstacle that prevents parents and single parents from taking advantage of community resources. If more childcare services were available to parents, the amount of people the West Farms Technology & Career Center could service would increase tremendously. Thank you.

Facilitator; David Birdsell: Thank you for your comments. Are there any questions for Mr. Aracena?

Hon. Brewer: Phipps Houses is a great organization and I commend the work that you’re doing. Could you please tell us what percentages of the people you serve have computers and Internet access at home and do you feel these services are necessary?

Aracena: Some 60% of our students and clients have computers but only 25% of them are able to pay for and sustain an Internet connection. For the students in our city and the parents that work hard for them, access to affordable Internet services is crucial for them.

2007-04-04T13:39:00.001-04:00
Seth Johnson
Coordinator, Dynamic Platform Standards Project

The problem of access to high speed Internet comes in large part from the fact that the incumbent phone and cable providers don't want to deliver the Internet at high speed.

The Internet, as defined by standards, is generic and flexible with respect to application development by end users. Nearly whatever pattern of communication I can create, it supports. It gives everybody that. It is at bottom a way of communicating that lets anybody who connects to innovate -- to turn their connection into a unique way of publishing, transferring or working with information between themselves and other users -- or to use applications other users on the Internet have developed to make one's connection do the unique things one wants to do.

Once they get connected -- and that's what you're addressing -- the fact that people have so far been able to expect uniform treatment of information flow comes from the Internet's fundamental design. It's not that everybody follows a policy of equality -- it comes from how transmissions were designed at the IP layer by consensus standards. In order to support all sorts of things that you could come up with, the Internet platform turns everything you do into little pieces and the pieces are sent independently from each other through whatever routers get them to where they need to go -- whether those routers are controlled by the incumbents or not -- so they can reach Internet-connected computers across the entire world. Then on the
other end you pull the pieces together and put them in the order and structure you want. This is the same technique of digitizing information into little pieces that your computer uses to support innovation. All the routers on the Internet get along by doing this. Please the materials on the Dynamic Platform Standards Project site, at http://www.dpsproject.com, for more details.

This is the kind of connectivity that this committee needs to be sure to get access to. Providers can offer other things, but you need to make sure that Internet connectivity is the policy objective, and other things aren't allowed to be presented as if they are the same
thing.

The problem is that the incumbents have stated they don't want to do this. They want to be able to set different prices for different applications and services that they provide, and if they do this, shape transmissions according to their own applications, they will sacrifice the flexibility and genericity of the platform that everyone connected to the Net has available to them.

The incumbents will drag their heels until we tell them directly that the real Internet is what we want, not something else, like FiOS, just because they're giving us a little more speed.

You want to have signal delivered at the infrastructure level just as it is under common carriage; you don't want to allow the standards to be overridden by providers in a market position to offer something else and call that Internet access; and you want to let end users do
all the things they've become accustomed to being able to do above that.

Finally, I want to call your attention to the comments submitted by the New York Chapter of the Internet Society to the Federal Trade Commission's recent public workshop on "Broadband Connectivity Competition Policy" (http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/broadband -- ISOC NY comment at http://www.ftc.gov/os/comments/broadbandwrkshop/527031-00046.pdf), which alludes to some of these same points. I would recommend that the Internet Society and the Internet Engineering Task Force be a part of this committee. We won't be able to develop the kind of flexible standards that have given us the Internet and the World Wide Web, let alone assure the empowerment that access to the Internet can provide to all communities, unless we are specific about the nature and advantages of the current platform and about framing the policy issues this committee is addressing in those terms.

Thank you.

2007-04-04T12:32:00.001-04:00
Joshua Breitbart
Policy Director for People's Production House (PPH)

Good morning. My name is Joshua Breitbart. I am the Policy Director for People’s Production House (PPH). PPH trains middle and high school students in public schools and low-wage and immigrant workers from across the city to be radio journalists. That includes analyzing how the media works and learning how to change it.

I would like to thank you, the members of the Broadband Advisory Committee, for holding this public hearing. I would also like to thank Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Bronx Community College, and the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation for hosting this event, and Council Member Gale Brewer for her work initiating this process.

PPH and its partners have a stake in this discussion because the Internet is the most promising outlet to distribute the kind of immediate, hyper-local content our partners produce. Licensed space on the radio dial is limited, especially in this town. Television also has a high barrier to entry. Newspapers are more open, but they aren’t so good for audio recordings.

The Internet is an accessible, two-way, multi-format medium. At least it could be accessible, which is why I say it’s “promising.” A lot of the people we work with don’t have the kind of meaningful access to the Internet that would allow them to make and distribute their own content and to receive the content of their peers. We would like you to help us do something about that.

I don’t know as much about broadband in New York City as you all do, but in some circles I am considered a knowledgeable person about these issues. I write for a think tank and an industry publication. I’ve testified before a city council, spoken to the media, and given presentations at conferences. I am a principal in a small consultancy. But I’m not going to tell you what I think meaningful broadband infrastructure looks like for New York City.

The most important thing I’ve learned about municipal broadband as I’ve observed and analyzed the processes in Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Boston, and elsewhere is that there is no cookie-cutter solution, no easy answer. The critical thing to finding the right solution is having the right process of working towards that solution.

Here are the keys, as I’ve come to understand them, to a healthy process, one that minimizes conflicts and leads to solid results:

• Sustain open participation beyond the initial public hearing stage, through the entire process and continuing even a solution is implemented.

• Promote horizontal relationships among stakeholders rather than hub-and-spoke relationships that all connect to this committee or to any one person or organization.

• Unite stakeholders around shared technology rather than dividing them into tiers.

• Incorporate existing human resources wherever possible to avoid redundancy and to build on existing relationships.

• Be open with whatever information you gather: publish documents, test results, and regular updates on an accessible website and make them readily available to people without Internet access.

The fact is, the people that have the most at stake in this discussion are not folks like me, white dudes with laptops and DSL connections at home. It’s the folks who have no access, or very limited access to the Internet. People’s Production House has a corps of eager reporters ready to work with you to engage that constituency.

This hearing is a great first step in that direction. It’s the first time that I know of that the general public of New York City has been invited to dream about what broadband might look like in our city. I am excited to see where this takes us.

In closing, again, I would like to thank all of the members of this Committee for your time and energy and for your commitment to New York’s communications future.

2007-04-04T12:27:00.001-04:00
Gary Axelbank
Director of Public Relations at Monroe College

Thank you for this opportunity. For more than seventy years Monroe College has been providing educational opportunities leading to meaningful careers for students in a wide variety of academic areas. While most recently we’ve expanded our Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs to include Criminal Justice and Hospitality and the Culinary Arts, as well as a Masters program in Business, on our campuses in the Fordham section of the Bronx and in New Rochelle, our School of Information Technology has been a staple of our offerings for generations.

Maybe in the past students could be successful without access to the latest technology. But we recognize that in the modern world access to technology can no longer be optional. It is a hard and fast requirement for anyone seeking upward mobility. This is true in our classrooms and labs and also for our students in their homes, neighborhoods, and even the businesses they frequent.

Because Monroe President Stephen Jerome recognizes that we are part of the community we serve, we are doing what we can to provide not only quality technology education leading to degrees and careers, but also a service to the community at large to help them get, in plain language, on the air with wireless technology.

I’d like to point out a couple of people to you. First, please recognize Dana Spiegel of NYC Wireless. Also, I’d like you to recognize Professor John McMullen. Professor McMullen has made it a required part of his Wireless Technology course that students undertake a project of wiring up a park, business, or other organization. They work in conjunction with NYCwireless and all wireless technology provided by these installations is free to the businesses and to the general public.

Since last spring the list of who they’ve gotten on line is long, but I’ll give you some samples, Professor McMullen’s students have wired:
- Stuyvesant Park in lower Manhattan, which was the first solar powered access in NYC,
- Java's Brewin' in Harlem,
- Coogan’s Restaurant, on Broadway at 169th Street in Manhattan
- Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Madison Square Park
- a Subway Restaurant in the Fordham section of the Bronx
- The City Line Diner in Woodlawn
- And the G Bakery in New Rochelle.
They’re also working with the Jerome/Gun Hill BID to get some of those Bronx businesses on the air.

So Monroe College encourages an aggressive approach to getting all of New York up to speed with the latest technology and we’re prepared to do our part.

If anyone is interested in having their business, not-for-profit organization, or other locale brought up to speed with wireless internet technology, please see me or Professor McMullen before you leave today. We have some fliers and other information which we’ll be happy to give you. Thank you for your time.

March 30, Bronx Hearing - Thank you !

2007-04-01T13:38:00.001-04:00

On March 30, at Bronx Community College, the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee held its first-ever public hearing. Over 200 people attended and approximately 30 people --Bronx residents, both young and old, business owners, and non-profit leaders-- testified on the importance of inexpensive and reliable access to broadband. We'd like to thank you all for participating in this great event.

Audio of the Bronx Hearing

2007-04-01T13:35:00.002-04:00
Audio of the Bronx Hearing available here.
3-min report from Kat Aaron of WBAI's Wakeup Call available here.
Press release available here:

On March 30, at Bronx Community College, the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee held its first-ever public hearing. Over 200 people attended and approximately 30 people --Bronx residents, both young and old, business owners, and non-profit leaders-- testified on the importance of inexpensive and reliable access to broadband. We'd like to thank you all for participating in this great event.

Council Member Brewer, the Chair of New York City Council’s Committee on Technology in Government, talked about need for affordable access to broadband in order to improve quality of life of – and economic opportunities for – all New Yorkers.

“New York is the most dynamic city in the world. But when it comes to the Internet, we’re stuck in the dial-up age,” said Council Member Brewer. “I want to figure out ways to change that and to use broadband to bring in jobs, help schools, and make the city safer. There are over 1.1 million schoolchildren in New York City public schools. Shouldn’t they all have access to the vast information resources of the Internet in the home as well?”

Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión, Jr. spoke about the importance of universal access to broadband to keeping New York City ahead of its competitors in the global world economy.

"For New York to remain competitive in the global market place, we must ensure that every New Yorker is given access to high-speed and reliable Internet connections," stated Bronx Borough President Carrión.

“These hearings are critical to focusing broad political attention and building consensus for the need to guarantee all New Yorkers an opportunity to participate in the 21st century economy,” said Andrew Rasiej, an Advisory Committee Member and the Founder of the Personal Democracy Forum and MOUSE.

Statements of support were submitted by US Senator Hillary Clinton, US Senator Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the New York City Council, Christine Quinn, and Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps.

“Today, one of the greatest catalysts for fostering economic opportunity and opening up new worlds to young and old is access to the Internet. For many people, especially those in underserved communities, the digital divide has not been closed. In order for people to realize the benefits of this technology for education, employment, and training, they must have the infrastructure in place. We must help bring the power of technology into people’s lives, especially in underserved areas like the Bronx, with the hope that every family can have the tools for success in today’s technology-rich economy,” said Senator Clinton.

“In a world that is increasingly reliant on high-speed, easily accessible Internet, not having high-speed Internet access is like not having air to breathe," said Senator Charles Schumer. "Broadband technology is the lifeblood of the new economy, and to keep New York City at the forefront of the 21st century global market, it is vital that residents, businesses and visitors in the city have access to high-speed, quality, universal Internet to connect them wherever they may be.”

Speaker Quinn said, "The Digital Divide is a serious issue facing our society, so I applaud the attention Council Member Brewer has brought to this issue. Here in New York City, many underserved communities won't survive in this new Information Age without the technical knowledge many of us take for granted. The bottom line is we need to use out-of-the box-thinking to ensure that today's technology is used to improve the future of New Yorkers. This Broadband Advisory Committee hearing, and the ones to follow in the coming weeks, is the first major step toward truly bridging the technology gap."

Federal Communications Commissioner Michael J. Copps expressed his support of the Advisory Committee’s work. “This must be a high national priority if our communities and our country are going to be competitive and successful in the 21st century,” wrote Commissioner Copps.

Video of the Bronx Hearing

2007-04-01T13:20:00.001-04:00
Available here:

PART 1:

PART 2:

PART 3:

PART 4:

Broadband Briefing Paper

2007-04-01T12:41:00.001-04:00

Below is a briefing paper has been prepared for the Bronx Hearing. In it, you will find general information on broadband in New York. What is it? What can it be used for? Where is it available?

Introduction

Broadband technology has made the world ‘flat’ so that, in a growing number of places, anyone with a laptop computer and a broadband connection can now compete in the global economy. Many countries have implemented policies on the local and federal levels to quickly expand broadband availability and adoption rates as well as encourage the development of higher-speed services. However, the United States (U.S.) is falling behind primarily due to the government’s failure to implement policies that promote competition in the areas of affordable access and quality of service. The U.S. dropped in ranking of broadband penetration from being 4th in the world in 2002 to 16th in 2006. The situation in New York City is a microcosm of this problem. The City is one of the most wired cities in the United States, but we are falling behind our international competitors. While the majority of businesses located in Manhattan enjoy multiple options for broadband, many of the businesses around the five boroughs have limited options for obtaining broadband and often find it impossible to access a reliable high-speed connection at all. Most residents have only one or two service providers from which to choose, and many are unable to afford the service. Without broadband and the newest communication technologies, residents are at an immediate disadvantage in this information-based global economy.

1.0 What is broadband? Is it important?

Broadband stands for Broadband Internet Access, which is a high-speed connection to the Internet. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines broadband service as “data transmission speeds exceeding 200 kilobits per second (Kbps), or 200,000 bits per second, in at least one direction: downstream (from the Internet to the user’s computer) or upstream (from the user’s computer to the Internet).” However, the FCC's definition of broadband is much slower than average broadband speeds of DSL and cable modem and many feel it should be revised upward to reflect this reality. Broadband’s high-speed Internet connection is progressively replacing old dial-up Internet connections, and allows users to access new services in line with modern technology improvements. This kind of connection permits consumers to access comprehensive databases, communicate through phone and videoconferencing, and download music, movies and television, all through a computer. Broadband connections also allow people to view streaming media at speeds closer to what might be associated with television because transfer speeds for broadband are up to 50 times faster than dial-up modems. According to a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life project, in 2005, 68% of American adults, or about 137 million people, used the Internet and fifty-three percent of these Internet users had a high-speed connection at home, which is up from 21% of users in 2002. The study also showed that 22% of American adults were offline, 40% were dial-up users, intermittent users, or non-users who live with an Internet user, and 33% of Americans were broadband users. In addition, a U.S. Department of Commerce report stated that while the number of households with Internet connections grew by 6.9 million between 2001 and 2003, the percentage of households with high-speed Internet or broadband connections more than doubled in households during the same time.

In many parts of the world and the U.S., broadband is increasingly viewed as a necessity, just like electricity, clean water, and telephone service, because it is a powerful tool that increases one’s quality of life and improves economic opportunities. Broadband connections can be delivered through various technologies, including standard telephone lines, cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), satellite, fiber, or wireless technologies.

2.0 What is broadband used for? Who uses broadband?

2.1. Broadband spurs economic growth

In 2001, a study by the Yankee Group predicted a $223 billion cost saving with universally available broadband in the United States, while an August 2002 study by Dataquest estimated that the implementation of ‘true’ broadband infrastructure could result in an incremental increase in U.S. gross domestic product by as much as $500 billion annually for the next 10 years. Given how recently broadband has been adopted, there has been little new empirical research on the economic impact of broadband. However, in 2006, the U.S. Department of Commerce released a report measuring the economic effects of already-deployed broadband technologies and addressing the question of future impacts. The Department concluded that “broadband access does enhance economic growth and performance, and that the assumed economic impacts of broadband are real and measurable.” In addition, a 2005 Applied Economic study showed that Lake County, Florida “experienced approximately 100% greater growth in economic activity relative to comparable Florida counties since making its municipal broadband network generally available to businesses in the county.”

More importantly, however, broadband helps build the capacity of entire communities – cities, counties, states, and countries – to compete withother communities and countries in the global information economy and around the world. A strong technology infrastructure is crucial for attracting businesses and highly educated, creative professionals who help drive economic growth.

2.2 Broadband uses for the community and individuals

2.2.1 Broadband is the gateway to the Internet and the newest communications technologies
Broadband enables individuals to take advantage of the Internet, which is quickly becoming the primary source of information for everything from text and sound to image and video. Additionally, broadband gives people the ability to use the newest, most advanced (and usually cheaper) communications technologies, such as VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), video telephone, and IPTV (Internet Protocol Television).

2.2.2 Broadband helps children learn and teachers teach
Access to broadband helps children learn in school as well as after school, allowing for ‘learning moments’ to occur at any time. Studies have shown that access to a computer, in combination with broadband access in the school, can improve children’s engagement in the classroom, increase their personal productivity, and improve their attitude toward writing.

2.2.3 Broadband helps people find employment
More and more, the Internet is becoming the place where employers post job opportunities that are not available through word of mouth or in-person community networks. Of the 92% of Fortune 500 companies that used corporate websites for active job recruitment in 2003, one- third did not give job seekers the option of applying for jobs offline.

2.2.4 Broadband enables e-government and e-democracy
With ubiquitous broadband access, broadband allows all New York City residents to take advantage of more governmental services that are becoming accessible through the Internet, saving residents time and money, and reducing the cost of government services. Also, high-speed Internet access allows people to participate in the democratic process much more easily by making it easier to donate campaign money online, communicating and collaborating with others who share their political views, or by sharing their thoughts with elected officials.

2.2.5 Broadband improves everyone’s quality of life
Broadband saves its us time and money by giving us the ability to bank online, shop online, and find information on just about anything online. Because of this, as of March 2006, 84 million Americans had broadband at home, which is a 40% jump from March 2005.

According to a recent survey by the Pew Internet & American Life project:
• 40 million Americans rely on the Internet as their primary source for news and information about science.
• 92% of respondents qualify the Internet as a good place to get everyday information.
• 85% of respondents say the Internet is a good way to communicate or interact with others.
• 61% of Internet users between 18 and 29 have looked for jobs online, while 42% of those ages 30-49 looked online for jobs.
• 69% think the Internet is a good entertainment resource in everyday life.

2.2.6 Universal access helps level the socio-economic playing field
Universal access to technology narrows the digital divide between high- and low-income residents and can help level the socio-economic playing field. Disadvantaged young people who gain technological literacy through meaningful access to the Internet are better equipped to compete in today’s job market.

2.3. Broadband helps businesses and nonprofits grow

The enormous investment in broadband technology during the dot.com bubble, combined with the commoditization of computers, computing power that continues to grow exponentially, and the development of robust software to help computers and people communicate and share information, it is now possible to work from virtually anywhere. Broadband is now at or near the top of ‘must-haves’ for most businesses.

Broadband enables all businesses—for-profit and non-profit—to develop and grow while at the same time becoming more efficient and cutting costs. Businesses become more productive because they can communicate and share files quickly and easily with partners and customers via e-mail and the Web. Broadband helps businesses save on communication costs through the use of VoIP; they can use video-conferencing capabilities and save travel expense; they save on rent through telecommuting programs. Finally, broadband enables businesses to improve their marketing efforts, as companies can reach a larger pool of customers, especially those located in other parts of the U.S. and in other countries.

For nonprofit organizations that provide direct social services, broadband enables them to take advantage of technologies that reduce the time and money spent on administrative tasks, thus freeing up the organization to spend more resources delivering services. Broadband also increases service providers’ ability to share information about their clients, and increases their ability to deliver the right service at the right time to the right person.

3.0 Broadband technologies and speed

Broadband Internet really makes a difference when downloading or uploading heavy documents such as music or movies. With an old dial-up connection, it would take several minutes to take a few seconds.

Modern use of Internet is also about communication: VoIP (Voice Over InternetProtocol), video telephone, and IPTV (Internet Protocol Television). These new technologies make it possible to have a conversation with anyone from anywhere on this planet. Industry experts predict that within a few years, homes will need vastly more bandwidth capacity than is currently available. A recent study by Jupiter Research concluded that by 2009 the average household will need 57–72 megabits per second (Mbps) of bandwidth and ‘tech savvy’ households will require 100 Mbps. Much of this bandwidth will support in-home wireless applications, as well as high-definition television and other bandwidth-rich applications.

4.0 Affordability of broadband

In the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 2004 report, A Nation Online, 38.9% of non-Internet users, or Internet users with only dial-up access, say the main reason why they have not adopted broadband is because it is “too expensive”. Assuming the monthly broadband service fee is $50 a month, over the course of a three-year period, broadband costs at least $1,800—an amount approximately equal to or more than the cost of purchasing and using a computer for three years. According to a study by MuniWireless, there seems to be a gap in Internet access between income levels with “approximately one out of 10 households with incomes below $30,000 reported having high-speed Internet access” compared to six out of ten households with income over $100,000 having Internet access.

5.0 The US is lagging behind

According to the OECD, the U.S. broadband penetration ranking dropped from 4th in 2002 to 12th in 2006, with 19.2 connections per 100 inhabitants. By comparison, Denmark leads the world with 29.3 connections per 100 inhabitants. With such a low penetration ranking, the United States is far behind countries such as the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Iceland, which have made rapid progress in broadband adoption.

The average ADSL connection in the U.S. offers download speeds between 1.5 Mbps and 3 Mbps, and upload speeds between 512 and 900 kilobits per second (Kbps), just enough for streaming video, not for standard or High definition TV. The average cable modem connection provides download speeds between 3 and 10 Mbps, with upload speeds varying between 384 and 1000 Kbps. These connections cost consumers $35 to $45 per month on average.

By comparison, Japanese and Korean consumers have access to broadband connections with speeds up to 100 Mbps, and prices are much lower (average of $35/month). In the U.K., a 24 Mbps connection costs about $50 per month. Additionally, since April 2005, some households in Hong Kong now have access to 1 Gbps connections.

6.0 National perspective

Spending on U.S. citywide wireless networks reached $235 million in 2006 and this number is predicted to almost double in 2007 with $459.6 million in spending. This rise is due to a large push in adoption rates of municipal networks by large cities and counties. In 2005, Philadelphia was the only major city working on implementing a municipal network yet, only a year later this number rose dramatically with large cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston pursuing wireless programs. The number one use among large and small cities and counties for these municipal networks is for public safety applications with building inspection and public works coming in second. An example of this public safety aspect is New York City’s selection of the Northrop Grumman Corporation to create a Citywide Mobile Wireless Network for the City’s first responders and other city agencies.

Citywide networks are also being used and paid for in many different ways by constituents. About 48% of networks are free to residents while 46% can be accessed by local businesses for a fee. In some cases the free access is provided at low bandwidths with high bandwidth being accessible for a low rate. Large cities usually provide their networks to constituents in a few ways with different fees types. With costs in mind, ownership of municipal networks has also become a topic of much debate. There has been a significant push in the direction of third party ownership and operation of networks, especially in large cities, with 56% having or expected to have this model of management while smaller municipalities continue to operate their own network. U.S municipal networks today span an average of 39 square miles but this number is expected to rise in the next few years. In addition, network deployment has had a variety of challenges that cities need to overcome. The top challenges for cities consist of performance concerns, topographic problems, political challenges by incumbent service providers, and security concerns.

6.1 U.S. Broadband Initiatives

The following is a list of broadband developments currently underway in the U.S.

Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia selected EarthLink to build, operate and maintain its citywide wireless network, Wireless Philadelphia. The network is now being tested across the city and is scheduled for full completion by late fall 2007. Wireless transmitters called routers, which use about as much electricity as a 60-watt light bulb, have been installed on light poles and other tall structures throughout the test zone. The full deployment will include subscriptions for wireless high-speed broadband internet service for homes and businesses, roaming capability for outdoor use throughout the city, and free access to "wireless hot spots" covering a total of 10 square miles of public parks throughout the City. In addition, Wireless Philadelphia willallocate discounted accounts to low-income households, also is known as Digital Inclusion. With EarthLink rates ranging from $9.95 to $21.95, the network is expected to generate over $10 million for citizens and create 6,000 new jobs.

Boston, MA – Mayor Thomas M. Menino formed a WiFi Task Force in February 2006 to explore wireless possibilities for Boston. The task force included three local technology experts that were appointed as co-chairs by Menino, and 19 representatives from the business, academic, and wireless communities, as well as members of city government. In July 2006, the task force delivered a 56-page report detailing their research and recommendations. The report recommended that the city identify and partner with a private nonprofit corporation that will be entrusted with the funding, construction, and operation of a carrier neutral wireless network. In March 2007, the Boston Wireless Initiative created openairboston.net, a private, non-profit corporation that will develop, implement and operate a network to provide affordable wireless internet access throughout the City of Boston. The first pilot project will be deployed soon and will cover approximately one square mile.

Los Angeles, CA – Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa outlined plans in February 2007 to blanket Los Angeles with wireless Internet access by 2009, in what would be one of the nation's largest urban Wi-Fi networks. The initiative, that will provide Internet services to the city's four million residents, will cost around 60 million dollars and would be funded by advertisers and telecommunication providers. The City wants to create a public-private partnership and will start seeking bids in the fall. The City is also forming a working group and will hire an expert to help with the details of the project. The winning bidder will pay for the installation and the city will donate space for antennas on city buildings, light poles and other structures.

Chicago, IL –Chicago released a draft Wireless Broadband RFP for comments in May 2006 and released the final RFP in September 2006. The City hopes to provide universal and affordable high-speed Internet access for all Chicago residents, businesses and visitors to the city, with special attention to low-income populations. The city is looking to create a public-private partnership model in which the city will spend no money except providing access to its street light poles, traffic signal poles and other infrastructure on a non-exclusive basis. The winner of the bid must finance, own, maintain, and operate the network while providing access to the network on a wholesale basis.

San Francisco, CA – In April 2006, San Francisco selected a joint bid by EarthLink and Google to provide San Francisco with a wireless citywide network. According to the selection, Google will manage the free 300 Kbps Wi-Fi service, while EarthLink will offer the faster premium service of 1Mbps for up to $20 a month. The free service will be supported by advertisements appearing on computer or laptop screens logged onto the network. In January 2007, an agreeement was finally reached between the two companies and the city yet, before the building of the network can begin, the city Board of Supervisors needs to approve the contract.

Atlanta, GA – The City of Atlanta created the Wireless Atlanta initiative in order to provide wireless Internet access throughout the City through a public/private partnership. The City released a RFP in June 2006 and expects that network deployment could begin as early as the spring of 2007. Wireless Atlanta will be funded by a private service provider and will offer wholesale services to other providers at a competitive rate.

Houston, TX – In October 2005, Mayor Bill White of the City of Houston announced an initiative to make wireless broadband services available throughout the City. The City released a RFP in March 2006 and then selected EarthLink in February 2007 to provide a wireless network that will cover 600 square miles and will be completed by June 2009. With 15,000+ nodes expected to be installed, the network will be open for purchase to other Internet service providers at wholesale rates that cannot exceed $12 per month for the first seven years. Under the deal, EarthLink will invest $40 to $50 million in the network and pay a leasing fee to use city property such as light poles. EarthLink will charge $4 per month to low-income families and pay the city 3% of all subscriber gross revenue on an annual basis. In addition, the city will pay the network provider at least $500,000 per year. In February 2007, the Houston City Council approved the contract with Earthlink.

Mountain View, CA – Google created a free city-wide wireless network in Mountain View, California in August 2006. The network, which covers 12-square miles and almost 72,000 residents, includes 380 access points throughout the city and offers 1Mbps of bandwidth. While Google did not charge the city anything for building the network, the company also covers the maintenance and utility costs itself. In addition, the city stands to receive payments from Google for the placement of equipment on city-owned light poles.

Silicon Valley, CA – Silicon Valley Metro Connect, a group comprised of IBM, Cisco, SeaKay, and Azulstar, announced in September 2006 that they would be providing free wireless broadband throughout 42 cities in the Silicon Valley area. The network, a combination of Wi-Fi and WiMAX , will span 1,500 square miles. There will also be six tiers of service including two free tiers, the first of which will be limited with download speeds of 256 kilobits per second and upload speeds of 60 kilobits per second. The second free tier, called "Kids," will be used by children and will only offer secure filtered content. Advertising will heavily support these free models. The other levels will have anywhere from 400 to 1,000 kilobits per second and cost between $14.95 and $59.95 per month.

Minneapolis, MN – The City of Minneapolis selected US Internet in September 2006, to build and operate a 60-square-mile broadband wireless network. The project, which is expected to take up to a year to build, will provide residents with Internet access from 1 to 3 Mbps download and upload speeds for $19.99 a month with this price capped for ten years. Business customers will receive the same access for $29.99/mo while City government workers will only pay $11.99/mo. The City has agreed to pay US Internet $2.2 million up front and $1.25 million a year so that City services, like police and fire, can become anchor tenants.

Suffolk and Nassau, NY – Suffolk and Nassau counties in Long Island, N.Y. issued a joint RFP in January 2007 in order to find a private partner or consortium to build, own, and operate an outdoor wireless network that will cover approximately 750 square miles and 2.7 million residents, making this network one of the largest of its kind in the US. The counties are willing to become anchor tenants on the network and pay for services and access to wireless Internet for the schools.

California – In October 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order to create a broadband task force that lets experts from government and businesses work together to identify and eliminate obstacles to making broadband internet access ubiquitous in the state. The task force will also recommend additional steps the Governor can take to promote broadband access and usage.

New York – Governor Spitzer announced in his State of the State speech in January 2007 that, in order to close the digital divide, the state must implement a Universal Broadband Initiative to ensure that every New Yorker has access to affordable, high-speed broadband.

7.0 New York City initiatives

On February 9, 2004, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) issued a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) to award non-exclusive franchises for the installation of mobile telecommunication equipment and facilities, on City-owned lightpoles. The RFP permits the placement of small, lightweight, mobile telecommunications reception/transmission equipment such as microcell antennas and other types of transceivers and similar equipment, on City-owned street light poles, traffic light poles, and/or highway sign support poles. DoITT received 9 proposals and granted 6 franchises in July 2004.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation released a RFP on June 14, 2006, for a Broadband Feasibility Study to “deliver a thorough, objective, fact-based feasibility study of the current state of broadband in New York City and to explore whether there is a need for a citywide broadband network as a municipal initiative and whether such would be legally, technically, practicably and economically feasible for New York City.” In September, the City selected, through a competitive bidding process, a private firm named Diamond Management and Technology Consultants, to conduct the study.

On September 12, 2006, Mayor Bloomberg and the Commissioner of DoITT, Paul Cosgrave, announced the selection of the Northrop Grumman Corporation to create a Citywide Mobile Wireless Network (CMWN) for New York City first responders and other city agencies. The city of New York, acting by and through DoITT and Northrop Grumman have entered into a $500 million contract to build and maintain the CMWN. This contract has been described as “the most aggressive commitment by any municipality to provide a next-generation public safety network.” The CMWN will give first responders from the NYPD and the FDNY rapid access to extensive data, including federal and state anti-crime and anti-terrorism databases, mug shots, and live video streams.

8.0 Ambitious government policies throughout the world

8.1 Europe

Since 2000, the European Union has been committed to the goal of bringing broadband to its population. European countries have instituted open-access policies for their broadband networks in which governments require national telephone and cable TV companies to allow competing companies to provide service over their broadband networks. This has produced fierce competition in the broadband markets where telecommunications providers compete on speed, quality, and price, not on who controls the physical broadband network. The consequences of these open-access policies have been near universal broadband access, high broadband penetration rates, a wide range of broadband services and applications, faster broadband speeds, and lower broadband prices.

Europe is now at the next step. The European Commission has set up a market development organization, the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council, whose mission is to educate, promote, and accelerate the deployment of fiber in access and the resulting quality-of-life enhancements. Municipal FTTH rollout is now rising in northern Europe and elsewhere. European cities such as Paris, Amsterdam and Vienna are among cities planning to offer residents cheap or free broadband access. A few examples of this are:

• Amsterdam – The Amsterdam City Council agreed in January 2006 to launch phase one of Citynet, an FTTH project aiming to cover all 420,000 homes in Amsterdam.
• Paris– Paris is offering tax cuts to companies installing fiber in sewers and other city-owned infrastucture and officials there say they want at least 80% of buildings connected to the Internet through fiber by 2010.
• Germany – NetCologne, a regional telecom company active around Cologne, Bonn and Aachen, launched Germany’s first FTTH network in July 2006.
• Sweden – The Swedish Urban Network Association (SSNF), a trade group for network owners developing broadband infrastructure, is exploring FTTH. Members of the Association include some 150 municipal and 10 or so private local and regional network owners, plus service providers.

However, despite such enthusiasm for FTTH today, the impact on European broadband is likely to be limited in the short term. In the mean time, European countries are quickly expanding their DSL and cable services. Penetration could hit 60-70% in many larger nations in the next 2-3 years.

8.2 Asia

On March 28, 2003, the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications laid down the Asia Broadband Program aimed at “making Asia as a whole an information hub of the world.” The Program is a coalition of Asian countries committed to the goal of enabling “all people in Asia to gain access to broadband platforms including access from various public facilities, and to use applications utilizing broadband advantages to the fullest.”

This initiative has helped Asia remain on top on communication technologies. According to the ITU 2006 World Information Society Report, “The Asian economies of the Republic of Korea and Japan continue to lead in digital opportunity, due to their pioneering take-up of broadband and 3G mobile services.” In 2006, there were more than 78 million broadband connections in Asia (41% of the World’s total broadband connections). 70 million Japanese could access Internet on their cell phone and 69.5% of email traffic went through their mobile telephones. In Korea, nearly all Internet subscribers are broadband subscribers, connected via 100Mbits FTTH networks (with a broadband penetration of 90% among Internet users).

The Asia Broadband Program was revised in August 2006, considering progress in diffusion of broadband platforms and implementation status of measures proposed. The new objectives are defined as:

• Encourage standardization between countries and cities (cooperation on cell phone digital networks between China, Japan and Korea, IPv6 protocols).
• Offer new opportunities for developing countries in Asia, within the framework of Japan’s ODA (Official Development Assistance) and APT (Asia-Pacific Telecommunity), an intergovernmental body comprised of governmental agencies, telecommunication companies, and research centers. Cooperation and assistance projects have been launched to bring broadband access to rural areas (such as in Vietnam, Mongolia or Laos).

The Asia Broadband Program reflects the strong political engagement from both national and local governments to encourage universal broadband access in Asia. In September 2006, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Japan’s goal to be the digital interface between Asia and the rest of the World. This commitment is a good example of the ability of local or national communities to place themselves at the center of the Global Village.

2007-04-01T12:30:00.001-04:00
Press coverage
Here are are some articles about the Broadband Advisory Committee and the Bronx hearing:

NY Daily News
Metro
Information Week
Chelsea Now
NY1
Newsday
Breitbart's Wordpress
Norwood News

A word from...

2007-03-26T20:01:00.001-04:00
Commissioner Michael J. Copps
Dear Honorable Brewer,

Thank you for your very kind invitation to address the inaugural meeting of the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee, on Friday, March 30. Unfortunately I am not able to be in New York that day because of scheduling conflicts and I must therefore decline.

I am however delighted to learn of your initiative in pursuit of "expanding and universalizing" broadband access. I am testifying on this very subject before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee this week, believing as I do that this must be a high national priority if our communities and our country are going to be competitive and successful in the 21st century. I wish you well in your endeavour and again, thank you for thinking of me.

Warm regards,

Michael J. Copps
Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission
February 23, 2007

2007-03-26T14:19:00.001-04:00

Urban A. Ellis, Director of the STOP Program (Students and Teachers Organized with Parents Against Guns, Violence, and Drugs)

Our goal is to reduce the involvement that young people have with guns, violence, and drugs through our STOP Program.

Our objective is to help students learn to STOP and think of the negative effects that involvement with guns, violence and drugs can have, and provide creative activites for students so they can develop their own talants toward a better education.

We have after school music programs where children learn to read music and play drums, piano and trumpet. One of our students was accepted into Juilliard School of Music.

We have a journalism program where children learn to write articles in their own newsletter the "Marble Hill Voice". They write about things that concern them, and assignments that
we gived them, such as: "School Violence", "My Space Safty".

The STOP Program at the Marble Hill Community center is ongoing sence September, 2002 where we provide students ages 7 to 13 with a better understanding and a perpous in life.

Thank you.

2007-03-26T14:16:00.002-04:00

Older Adults Technology Services (OATS)

Every New Yorker should have access to affordable high-speed Internet from home, but the need is particularly urgent for senior citizens—especially the home-bound elderly. Older adults can use computers to overcome social isolation, connect to health information, and access government services, but fewer than one in four senior citizens is online today. As a result, one of the most important tools for improving the quality of life of aging New Yorkers is unavailable to the majority of households, primarily as a result of high cost. Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) recommends that the City of New York, together with providers of telecommunications services, create a program to make affordable Internet service available to low-income elderly residents of the city, with special focus on those living alone with mobility impairments.

Why Senior Citizens Need Broadband Access

There is a great deal at stake for older adults in the Digital Age: The pervasive reach of technology has fundamentally changed the way that Americans connect to their families, communities, government and society. From mundane activities such as shopping and reading the news, to life-and-death needs like health care and social contact, technology has become an indispensable tool for living. In 1996, an individual might be correct in assuming that computers, the World-Wide Web, digital video and high-speed Internet access were primarily tools of the business world, universities or technology specialists. Just ten years later, these devices and resources are in common daily use in the vast majority of American households.

The importance of technology as a tool for living well has been discussed and elaborated in many publications and studies. Yet, it is worth pausing to acknowledge the range of opportunities for older adults that are strongly tied to digital resources:

• A recent study by the Congressional Government Accountability Office found that the federal Medicare telephone hotline gave out inaccurate or incomplete information 39 percent of the time. Experts report that the Medicare.gov website is the only resource that allows seniors to compare all available “Part D” plans together with the list of medications used by an individual.

• BenefitsCheckUp.org, sponsored by the National Council on Aging, provides an opportunity for users to consider their eligibility for over 1300 different public benefit programs, averaging over 50 programs per state. More than 1.2 million people have used the service.

• A recent study by the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development found that two-thirds of American workers plan to continue working past the traditional age of retirement, many who need the income to continue to live independently. Yet with information workers now accounting for more than 70 percent of the American labor force, older applicants who often lack technology skills are at a distinct disadvantage.

Perhaps the greatest challenge faced by older adults in the Digital Age is social isolation. Escalating social isolation among senior citizens has recently been called “a formula for disaster” by researchers. As growing numbers of older adults today seek to “age in place” at home, they rely increasingly on community-based social networks for assistance with health care, services and daily necessities. Unfortunately, these networks break down all too often: nearly one-third of low-income seniors who live alone report going for weeks at a time with no direct social contact from friends or neighbors.

The Internet can be a veritable life-line for the home-bound elderly. Seniors who live at home and have mobility impairments are at particular risk for loneliness and social isolation. For these individuals, a computer can serve as a powerful tool for connecting to friends and family, for accessing news and information, and for managing information about health care, finances and over vital topics.

Access to the Internet can help older adults live better, more independent lives in communities across New York City. Unfortunately, age is a very strong predictor of Internet use. A recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that just 22 percent of Americans over the age of 65 use the Internet. Young people, by contrast, are the most intensive users of technology: 79 percent of teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 go online regularly, together with nearly 20 percent of pre-schoolers, ages 3-4.

Current Trends

A combination of market forces and social initiatives is helping to close the technology gap for senior citizens in New York City, yet the lack of affordable broadband access for seniors continues to be a major obstacle to large-scale change. Nonprofit organizations, foundations and corporate sponsors are doing important work to train seniors and help them gain access to computer hardware at home and in community technology centers around the city. Lower costs for hardware and software, along with more senior-friendly interfaces and applications, are bringing the benefits of technology to more older adults every year, but the high cost of Internet access remain a serious barrier for many seniors.

Poverty among New York City seniors is rising at an alarming pace and is now almost double the national rate. Nearly 18 percent of New York seniors live in poverty, according to the 2000 Census, an 8 percent increase over the previous decade. One-third of people over the age of 65 live alone (319,000 individuals), and 39 percent have a disability that impairs their mobility or their ability to care for themselves.

In the face of these disturbing statistics, however, many initiatives are under way to help older adults—especially those living alone, in poverty, or with disabilities—gain access to free or low-cost technology to improve their lives:

• OATS and Per Scholas, supported by the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, recently launched an ambitious program to teach computer skills to 500 low-income senior citizens and install free refurbished desktop computers in their homes. The program, called Comp2Seniors, has already served nearly 200 seniors and is meeting with enthusiastic responses from participants. Bronx-based partners include RAIN, Mt. Hope Housing, Phipps West Farms, and Castle Hill Senior Center.

• Mt. Hope Housing Company is wiring over 1200 units of low-income housing for affordable Internet access, and is partnering with OATS and other nonprofits to make enable hundreds of older adults can participate in using the new technology.

• Jewish Home and Hospital Lifecare Systems recently launched a pilot project with OATS to train JHH volunteers to teach technology skills to home-bound senior citizens.

• IBM has donated 200 computers left over from the Republican National Convention to senior centers around the city, enhancing locally available resources for training and supporting older adults who wish to learn technology. OATS recently received a grant from IBM to load software for the visually impaired on desktops at multiple community technology locations that serve seniors.

• OATS has expanded its technology training programs for older adults to over 20 locations citywide. The organization taught 622 class sessions free-of-charge to seniors in 2006, and has developed three levels of curriculum that are taught in an intergenerational format using high school students to co-teach the classes. OATS has launched a digital community for older adults at www.seniorplanet.org to provide a platform online for older adults to share resources, events, and blog commentary.

These initiatives represent significant commitment from the nonprofit, corporate, and philanthropy sectors to help low-income older adults get access to hardware, training, and support as they seek to participate more fully in the digital age.

Recommendations

Lack of affordable broadband access remains is a serious obstacle to overcoming the technology gap for seniors—and is possibly the area where the least progress is being made. Falling prices for desktops and software, along with high-capacity programs such as the Per Scholas Comp2Seniors initiative, are putting computers within reach for even the lowest-income seniors. Training and outreach programs run free-of-charge by OATS and its 20 nonprofit partners around the city are enhancing the skills and knowledge of thousands of older adults each year. But for the approximately 50,000 elderly New Yorkers living alone on less than the poverty threshold of $8980 a year, a $480 annual broadband bill is simply not within reach.

OATS recommends that the City of New York create a mechanism for making free or affordable high-speed Internet access available to low-income senior citizens. Such a measure could be implemented as a government subsidy or voluntary price reduction by service providers, and could be negotiated as part of cable TV franchising agreements. Specifically, the City should:

1. Provide preference for seniors living below the poverty line
2. Provide preference for individuals living alone and those living with mobility disabilities
3. Coordinate the subsidy to link to training, support, and hardware distribution programs that are already serving this population
4. Support the continuation and expansion of training, support, and hardware initiatives for seniors.

If the budget for the Department for the Aging were increased by 2 percent to help pay for a comprehensive program of connecting older adults to technology resources and the Internet, $4.6 million dollars would be available to address this critical problem. Such a program could serve thousands of low-income older adults each year with low-cost or free Internet access, computer training, intergenerational programs, free or low-cost refurbished computers, technical support, and online resources.

Home-based Internet access, which is taken for granted by the vast majority of Americans but is still beyond the reach of most senior citizens, is the linchpin for a broad range of life resources today. It should be emphasized that the purpose of a public technology program for seniors is to leverage the power of technology to help older adults overcome social isolation, improve health information and financial management, and connect to government services.

The City of New York currently provides a range of needed programs for older individuals to ensure their quality of life, including transportation services, home-based nutrition counseling, and employment services. OATS believes that increased access to technology is an important way to enhance and extend the services we currently provide, enabling us to enrich the lives of thousands of vulnerable older adults with a cost-effective program that builds on initiatives currently supported by a broad range of community-based and nonprofit organizations across New York City.

Tom Kamber

Information about the March 30th public hearing in the Bronx.

2007-03-14T18:30:00.001-04:00

Sponsored by the Office of Council Member Gale A. Brewer (CD 6 - Manhattan), the Office of Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Bronx Community College and the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO), the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee will hold its first public hearing on March 30, from 10 am to Noon, Gould Memorial Library Auditorium, Bronx Community College, University Place at W. 181st Street.

The Committee will hear testimony from select elected officials, policy experts and, most importantly, Bronx residents. Council Member Brewer and Borough President Carrion invite all Bronx residents, nonprofit organizations and businesses to testify about the availability and affordability -- or lack of -- of broadband (that is, a high-speed connection to the Internet) in their neighborhoods.

Some questions we would like to get answers to include:

1. Why is a fast affordable Internet connection important to you?
2. What do you consider an "affordable" fee to pay for an high-speed connection to the Internet?
3. If you have a broadband connection, what do you use it for (e.g., help your child do his/her homework)?
4. If don't have broadband or if you had a faster connection to the Internet, what would you use it for (e.g., market your business on-line or look for a job)?

The hearing in the Bronx will kick-off a series of five public hearings that will be convened in every borough of New York City. Based on these hearings and with the help of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the Advisory Committee will report their findings and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council.

If you cannot make it to the hearing on March 30, we still want to hear from you!You can comment about the issue of broadband in New York City by clicking on the comments link at the bottom of each post and entering your comment in the new window. All comments will be screened first before posting. Or you can mail any questions or comments to Colleen Pagter, Policy Analyst for the Committee on Technology in Government, New York City Council, 250 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10007. s

For information regarding the Committee's public hearing schedule, event details and how you might get involved in providing community outreach, please contact Ryan Merola (ryan.merola@gmail.com / 212-788-6975).

For about information about Local Law 126, the Committee and its structure, and broadband policy, please contact Jeff Baker (jeffrey.baker@council.nyc.ny.us / 212-788-9193), Counsel to the Committee on Technology in Government.

If you are a member of the media and would like more information about the Committee and/or the public hearings, please contact Bruce Lai, (bruce.lai@council.nyc.ny.us / 212-788-6975), Chief of Staff to Council Member Gale A. Brewer.

For more information about the Committee on Technology in Government and the Chair of the Committee, Council Member Gale A. Brewer, go to the following links:

• Council Member Gale A. Brewer: http://nyccouncil.info/constituent/member_details.cfm?con_id=28

• Committee on Technology in Government: http://nyccouncil.info/issues/committee.cfm?committee_id=106

Please feel free to circulate, send and/or post information about the Broadband Advisory Committee.

2007-03-14T15:27:00.000-04:00
Below is the flyer of the hearing.
If you would like a copy, please feel free to let us know!

Members of the Committee - List and Bios

2007-03-09T10:57:00.000-05:00

The committee is comprised of 15 members, seven Council appointees and eight Mayoral appointees. Click on each name to see full bio.

The Council appointees are:
- David Birdsell, Dean, Baruch College Graduate School of Public Affairs, City University of New York
- Neil Pariser, Senior Vice President, South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO)
- Andrew Rasiej, Founder of Personal Democracy Forum and MOUSE
- Jose Rodriguez, President and Founder, Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network (HITN)
- Elisabeth Stock, President and Co-Founder, Computers for Youth (CFY)
- Nicholas Thompson, Senior Editor, WIRED Magazine
- David Wicks, Founding Partner, Alwyn Group, Former Cablevision executive

The Mayoral appointees are:
- Mitchel Ahlbaum, General Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for Telecommunications Services, New York City Department of Information Technologies and Telecommunications (DoITT)
- Shaun M. Belle, President and CEO, Mount Hope Housing Company
- Thomas Dunne, Vice President of Public Affairs, Policy and Communications, Verizon New York
- Avi Duvdevani, Chief Information Officer / Deputy General Manager, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
- John J. Gilbert III, Executive Vice President / Chief Operating Officer, Rudin Management Company
- Wendy Lader, Vice President Telecommunications Policy, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
- Howard Szarfarc, President, Time Warner Cable of New York and New Jersey
- Anthony Townsend, Research Director, Institute for the Future

Questions for the Committee

2007-03-07T14:56:00.000-05:00

The Broadband Advisory Committee will begin its preliminary investigation into the state of and access to broadband in New York City with its March 30 hearing at 9 AM. The previous post contained four questions that I would like to repost and highlight here:

1. Why is a fast affordable Internet connection important to you?
2. What do you consider an "affordable" fee to pay for an high-speed connection to the Internet?
3. If you have a broadband connection, what do you use it for (e.g., help your child do his/her homework)?
4. If don't have broadband or if you had a faster connection to the Internet, what would you use it for (e.g., market your business on-line or look for a job)?

These questions will guide the committee as it assesses the impact of the current state of Internet availability for the city. But they aren't simply questions to guide the committee in their hearings; these questions are to be answered by everyone. So send the committee your answers, thoughts on the questions, or any other information on your experiences with broadband that you would like to share. You can comment on this post or e-mail the persons listed in the post below. More to come!