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Broadband for all
High-speed Internet service, and ability to use it, are a state goal
By DEBORAH MOORE, Special to the Times Union
First published: Sunday, April 5, 2009
One of New York state's goals is to have affordable, high-speed Internet service available in all parts of the state, and to have a citizenry that is capable of using it.
It's the purview of Melodie Mayberry-Stewart, the state's chief information officer and director of the Office for Technology, who also serves as head of the New York State Council for Universal Broadband, a 28-member public-private group formed in December 2007.
Through its Universal Broadband Initiative, the state has committed $12.5 million to improve access to the Internet statewide and to provide equal and universal broadband access to underserved rural and urban areas, including schools and libraries.
Of that money, $5 million was awarded to nine public-private partnerships in March 2008, and proposals to spend the remaining $7.5 million will be reviewed later this year.
We spoke with Mayberry-Stewart to understand why this is so important to the state.
Q: What is broadband?
A: This is simply high-speed, high-capacity Internet access.
Q: Why should the state care about high-speed Internet?
A: It really is a question of competitiveness and economic development. The world is headed to a wireless society and New York state is losing ground from a national and global perspective. The state ranked fourth in 2007 nationally for broadband Internet speed. It fell to sixth in 2008.
The United States ranked fourth in 2001 and it fell to 14th in 2008. Other countries are leapfrogging over us because they have had national broadband policies and digital literacy standards.
Q: Workers might enjoy office jokes coming at lightning speed, but is broadband really that important to routine business operations?
A: One of the things businesses look for is robust broadband infrastructure. They expect it. Businesses use the Internet to manage their supply chain and to communicate with their customers and colleagues. The Finger Lakes area has implemented a build-out of its fiber optic
network (a 180-mile ring in Ontario County) and has successfully used this to recruit new businesses.
The Internet levels the playing field for businesses to enter new markets. They are not restrained by geography. The smallest business in the most rural area can have a presence in global markets. Universities use high-capacity broadband for collaborative research. A broadband
infrastructure build-out creates jobs, particularly in the information age.
In terms of keeping college graduates in the state, they are used to having a robust wireless environment and it is one of the things they consider when they are deciding on where to live and work. A broadband strategy is key to keeping our college students from moving out of the
state.
Q: Doesn't the Internet already reach all parts of the state, even if it's just the slower dial-up service?
A: No. There are parts of rural New York and some urban pockets without even dial-up service. Historically, there was a national policy to bring access to electricity and telephone to everyone. We haven't had that with broadband.
We're looking to identify the areas of the state with the greatest need, in coverage and technology, primarily in rural upstate.
Now understand that coverage rate and adoption rate are not the same. We have a lot of areas where adoption rate is low, around 55 percent. That is a factor of the cost of broadband and an education gap.
Q: You're saying the Universal Broadband Initiative looks to get regular New Yorkers, not just businesses, comfortable with broadband. Why?
A: Society's headed to a wireless society and citizens need to able to participate. It's not just young people downloading all the information, movies, music and photos they need to feel connected. A variety of services are now being offered through the Internet.
You can buy airline tickets online and look for a job. Disabled people can shop from home. There is telemedicine, monitoring health remotely via the Internet. Job training, college courses and resume creation. You can apply for some food stamps and access other government services.
New York is putting more and more services online and this is a significant cost savings. We have 400 services online, but other states have 1,000. By putting more government services online, it provides an incentive for people to learn and that learning will positively impact their household. We're not just building out broadband for building's sake.
Q: There is a "digital literacy" component to the initiative. What is that?
A: One of the reasons other countries are doing better than us is that they have adopted digital literacy standards. We'll be making a recommendation to the state Board of Regents that there should be a certain minimum digital proficiency that any New Yorker should have and that this should be in the schools.
Q: Doesn't this leave lots of people behind?
A: There are community technology centers around the state for lower-income and seniors to learn. Around the centers, we find that computer use in libraries really goes up. Something like keeping in touch with your grandchild through e-mail might trigger a senior's interest in the Internet.
There are social challenges and cultural barriers. We are trying to work with nonprofit entities and faith-based groups to get the information out.
Q: Will the build-out continue, considering the tough state budget climate?
A: This centers around the federal stimulus bill. Governor Paterson submitted, and got approved, a number of projects with a significant commitment to build-out, literacy and to closing those gaps in service. The original request was for 17 projects totaling $90 million. We don't know yet what we might get.
Where the rollout starts
The first round of universal broadband funding from the state $5 million was awarded in March 2008. Here's where it went:
Onondaga County ($1.3 million): Goal is to develop "Broadband Over Power Line" for the area. This emerging technology lets users access broadband via electric transmission lines by plugging a computer into any electrical outlet in the home.
Albany County ($937,500): Goals are to extend Albany FreeNet into city neighborhoods, supporting public safety and city agencies, and launch digital literacy and virtual work force training programs.
Bronx County ($775,585): Goals are to provide free broadband access to certain underserved areas, and to provide community college students with training so they can serve as technical skills teachers to youth.
New York State Library ($621,010): Goals are to provide broadband access and upgrades in public libraries in high-need communities across the state, and to provide digital literacy training.
Allegany County ($613,000) Goals are to bring broadband to the northern portions of the county, which lacks affordable service, and to provide training on basic applications.
Tompkins County ($430,369): Goals are to construct a dozen 140-foot towers and provide equipment for wireless broadband in the town of Dryden. This will serve four school districts and Tompkins-Cortland Community College.
Columbia County ($156,631): Goal is to design and implement a redundant regional fiber optic ring, 130 miles long.
Otsego County ($90,905): Goals are to reconstruct an existing tower owned by the Milford Central School District to deliver services to residents, and to subsidize hardware, installation and recurring subscriptions costs to eligible low-income residents.
St. Lawrence County ($75,000): Goal is to expand the Open Access Telecom Network for keystone businesses and the Newton Falls community.
Source: Office of Gov. David Paterson
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