Broadband Communities Regional Conference Comes to Chicagoland, Broadband Illinois to Co-Host
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Broadband has played a key role in the innovation-driven economic rebound in Illinois and the role of high-speed internet will be front and center at an upcoming event on economic development in Chicagoland.
Broadband Communities Magazine, known for their national conferences aimed at building a fiber-connected world, is partnering with Broadband Illinois and the Rural Telecommunications Congress (RTC) in hosting the Economic Development Conference on November 5-7, 2013 in Tinley Park, Illinois.
To ensure that the conference is accessible to all, Broadband Illinois and RTC are offering an early-bird registration rate of only $95 through July 11, 2013. Registrants should visit bbcmag.com/chicago and enter code “RTC2013” to secure this rate.
"Broadband Illinois has helped unite the Land of Lincoln around a vision of Better Broadband, Better Lives," said Drew Clark, Executive Director of the non-profit State Broadband Initiative entity that has set the standard for engagement between communications providers and users of broadband services.
Building on the work of the Broadband Deployment Council established by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, Broadband Illinois has promoted expanded internet coverage in rural areas, and deepened the understand and usage of technology in urban areas.
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IllinoisWiFi App to be Discussed For First Time at Digital Advocacy Webinar July 9
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 Details on a new Broadband Illinois mobile application that will help users locate public Wi-Fi hotspots in Illinois will be divulged for the first time during a webinar Tuesday.
The IllinoisWiFi app, currently in the final development stages, will be discussed by Broadband Illinois Executive Director Drew Clark at the first installment of the Digital Advocacy Webinar Series, Rural Connectivity in the Digital Age.
Hosted by RuralXChange, the webinar is set for Tuesday, July 9, at 1 p.m. CST. It is open to the public and can be accessed by registering at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/331492848.
Broadband Illinois received an award from the Rural Policy Action Partnership, with funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to develop the app. When the app goes live, it will tell the user the nearest locations to access free public internet service.
“We’re excited to offer a sneak peak of IllinoisWiFi during Tuesday’s webinar,” Clark said. “Broadband Illinois is about helping every citizen get connected, and this new application will certainly advance those efforts.”
On Tuesday, Clark will be joined by Wally Bowen, Executive Director of the Mountain Area Information Network.
Based in North Carolina, MAIN operates as a full-service ISP that provides free or reduced-cost web hosting services to businesses and non-profit organizations throughout its service area.
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US Ignite Summit Demos Next-Gen Applications, Convenes Tech and Community Leaders
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 The future of the internet isn’t just another social network or addicting game. It’s about making our society better, safer, smarter and more productive with next-generation applications running on ultra-fast gigabit connections. Last week, more than 250 leaders from industry, communities, government, foundations and universities gathered in Chicago for the inaugural US Ignite Application Summit. Attendees saw live demonstrations of next-generation applications for manufacturing, education, medicine and more. The three-day summit also featured workshops on technology, application development, communities, keynotes exploring US Ignite technologies, real-world case studies and best practices.
As an event partner, Broadband Illinois hosted a panel discussion featuring current awardees of Gov. Pat Quinn’s Illinois Gigabit Communities Challenge, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at building private-public partnerships to bring gigabit connectivity to Illinois communities.
Representatives from Gigabit Squared Chicago, the City of Aurora and the City of Evanston shared information on their infrastructure projects that will bring gigabit-speed connectivity to at least 1,000 end users. John Tolva, Chief Technology Officer at the City of Chicago also participated in the panel, discussing the Chicago Broadband Challenge and the city’s numerous broadband initiatives aimed at spurring innovation and getting more citizens online. A video recording of this panel discussion will be posted Broadband Illinois’ YouTube channel soon.
“Broadband Illinois is deeply engaged in promoting gigabit speeds throughout our state and it’s exciting to see applications that will provide a transformative benefit to the public,” said Drew Clark, Executive Director at Broadband Illinois. “US Ignite continues to do great work throughout the country and we were honored to serve as an event partner for the Chicago summit.”
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IBIF Awardee: Escape Locally Website Promotes Tourism, Service, Businesses in Southern Illinois
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Booking an all-inclusive weekend getaway complete with hiking, wine tasting, luxury cabins and family fun is easier (and closer) than you think thanks to a new local tourism website created by a Carbondale man.
Escape Locally, an online web portal created by Carbondale entrepreneur Jim Zimmerman, promotes and packages local tourism making it simple for users to book a weekend getaway and helping small, local businesses get the online spotlight they need - but might not have the resources for.
As a Broadband Innovation Fund Awardee, Escape Locally has recently announced an expansion. The website will be offered throughout Illinois (not just Southern Illinois) and will serve as an online storefront for small businesses in Champaign, Springfield, Peoria and Bloomington-Normal. Known as “Escape Locally 2.0,” the site will allow business owners to set up their own information and create a customizable online storefront.
“We’re really excited expand to other parts of the state and to replicate the success that we had in Southern Illinois,” said Zimmerman. “This couldn’t have been done without the Broadband Innovation Fund.”
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Broadband Extras and Upcoming Events
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Broadband Illinois promotes opportunities that high-speed internet offers for jobs, education, energy efficiency, healthcare, public safety, agriculture and government. We collect and publish telecom maps and information, collaborate with internet providers and economic development officials for deployment, and educate individuals and organizations on how to effectively use broadband. Officially known as the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, we are a Springfield-based 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. Learn more at http://broadbandillinois.org and connect at http://facebook.com/broadbandillinois.
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