- PCI’s Eden to discuss local importance of eTeams in broadband development
- Bob Flider, Jun 13, 2011
- U of I Extension's 13th Annual Meeting on June 15
- Building the Gigabit State in Southern Illinois
- On Broadband, Jun 2, 2011
By Drew Clark
CARBONDALE, Illinois, June 2, 2011 – Boiled down to its bare essentials, a major research university like Southern Illinois University here needs three things to prosper: good students, great faculty, and world-class internet bandwidth.
The only major research university in the southern half of Illinois, SIU has the first two out of three. But according to John Koropchak, a professor of chemistry and Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Dean at the university, the availability of bandwidth for SIU maxes out at 380 Megabits per second (Mbps).
Guidelines by the National Science Foundation call for bandwidth availability to be 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) to 2.5 Gbps. That’s up to seven times the bandwidth currently available.
- Wednesday Webinar Series Continues June 1
- May 29, 2011
The Partnership for a Connected Illinois will host its next Wednesday Webinar on June 1 at 2 p.m. CST, on the subject of "Community Anchor Institution and Broadband Access."
- National Experts to Convene at Broadband Summit in Carbondale on June 2
- May 20, 2011
- Local, state and national leaders will convene at the Illinois Broadband Summit on Thursday, June 2 at the Southern Illinois University Student Center in Carbondale. The public can attend in person, at remote participation sites in Springfield and Chicago, or by watching live internet streaming.
- Webinar Slides Available for Download
- May 19, 2011
- Slides from the Partnership for a Connected Illinois' Wednesday Webinar events are now available online for download.
- Wednesday Webinar Series Continues May 18
- May 5, 2011
The Partnership for a Connected Illinois will host its next Wednesday Webinar on May 18 at 2 p.m. CST. All who are interested in the advancement of broadband in Illinois are invited to participate on the subject of "Developing Statewide Baseline Data for Research."
- NTIA's State Broadband Initiative and the Illinois Broadband Map
- On Broadband, May 4, 2011
By Drew Clark
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, May 4, 2011 - Later today, at 2 p.m. CT, the Partnership for a Connected Illinois will kick off our "Wednesday Webinar" series, beginning with a discussion about the Illinois Broadband Map. Registration for this event is free.
PCI feels so passionately about the Illinois Broadband Map because data and information should be central to helping promote sound policies, and because evidence suggests that broadband is a key driver of job creation and economic activity.
- Clearwave Launches Website and Newsletter
- May 3, 2011
- Illinois Broadband Opportunities Partnership awardee Clearwave Communications launches website and offers newsletter about project located in southern Illinois.
- Partnership for a Connected Illinois to Kick-Off Wednesday Webinar Series on May 4
- Apr 21, 2011
Join into the discussion of Illinois’ new broadband map and how it will help prepare our state for a brighter future. Find out more at our first Wednesday Webinar on May 4.
- Illinois Leads the Nation in USDA Broadband Investment — Investments To Spur Job Creation and Economic Opportunity in Rural America
- Apr 20, 2011
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced support for telecommunications projects in seven states to improve broadband service to rural residents and businesses. Projects selected include an $8.7 million award to the Alhambra-Grantfork Telephone Company, in Alhambra, Ill., and a $3.4 million loan to Woodhull Telephone Company, in Woodhull, Ill.
Broadband Illinois to Stream eChicago Events Live- Apr 19, 2011
The Partnership for a Connected Illinois will sponsor the live internet streaming and archival recording of the eChicago events in Chicago this week. The stream can be viewed at http://www.digibridge.net/echicago/.
- Illinois Legal Aid Online Celebrates 10th Anniversary
- Apr 14, 2011
- Non-profit organization celebrates access to justice through the use of technology.
- Thoughts On Broadband, the Internet, Business Incubation and Jobs
- Don Samuelson and John Lewis, Apr 12, 2011
Part of President Obama’s campaign platform was a “stimulus program” designed to create jobs as quickly as possible through the funding of “shovel ready” projects. There were WPA-like objectives in the rhetoric, which would put Americans to work repairing roads, bridges, airports and infrastructure. Unemployment was at record highs bolstering the demand for jobs and often expressed through the campaign rhetoric of “Jobs, Jobs and Jobs.” Another public policy objective also garnered a great deal of attention: an assumption that broadband availability in rural areas was important to the regions future economic development. In fact, the correlation between broadband availability and economic development is very similar to the 1936 Rural Electrification Act (REA) which underscored the importance of, and secured funding for, an infrastructure supporting electricity. Much of the campaign rhetoric about the need for public support of broadband deployment was similar to the arguments used for the REA.
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This paper is third party research and does not necessarily represent the views or receive the endorsement of The Partnership for a Connected Illinois. It is presented for consideration as a public service to the broadband community.
- Charles Benton at National Conference for Media Reform
- Apr 8, 2011
Charles Benton, was interviewed this week while he was in attendance at the National Conference for Media Reform in Boston.
- Executive Director Drew Clark Testifies Before House Telecommunications Committee
- Apr 7, 2011
Committee Convenes to hear testimony concerning public investment in broadband infrastructure in Illinois.
- Community Connect Program Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels
- Mar 11, 2011
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces the availability of $25 million in funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 for the Community Connect Grant Program. This notice is being issued prior to passage of a final Appropriations Act for FY 2011, to allow potential applicants time to submit proposals and give the Agency time to process applications within the current fiscal year. For FY 2010, Congress appropriated approximately $17.9 million.
- Economic Development Conference to focus on Regional Internet Project
- Mar 11, 2011
The 16th annual Southern Illinois Economic Development Conference will be held on March 17th at the John A. Logan Conference Center in Carterville, Illinois from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM. The conference topic will be “Southern Illinois On-Line" Regional Broadband & E-Commerce Opportunities” and will be focused around the 740-mile, high-speed fiber optic network being constructed by Clearwave Communications.
Beltway broadband experts praise Illinois awardees for their broadband vision and focus- Lou Carlozo, Mar 7, 2011
"Light years ahead": Joanne Hovis of NATOA came all the way from Washington to praise Illinois for being "light yeras ahead" of other states in developing its broadband plan and network.
Illinois ARRA Broadband Awardees Looking to the Future of Internet in Illinois- By Lou Carlozo, Mar 7, 2011
While others bemoaned what the Great Recession might do to halt all progress on the broadband front, two Illinois-bred politicians—Gov. Pat Quinn and President Barack Obama—were already working to turn the Land of Lincoln into a land that’s digitally linked in. The fruits of their combined efforts, as witnessed by close to 100 state leaders from the public and private sector, were in evidence Monday at Northern Illinois University’s Naperville campus, as Broadbandillinois.org hosted presentations by four awardees at its regional meeting.
Illinois broadband on the move—and showing no signs of slowing down, right to the last mile- Lou Carlozo, Mar 7, 2011
- Going the last mile: Jeff Eden of PCI stressed the need for making sure last-mile connections get the proper attention, and how any broadband plans for the state won't be complete without attention to the last-mile details.
- Broadband Illinois to Co-Host Case Studies of Stimulus Funding on Monday, March 7
- Drew Clark, Mar 6, 2011
NAPERVILLE, Illinois, March 7, 2011 – Broadband Illinois, formally known as the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, will co-host a summit on Monday, March 7, 2011, on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act broadband investments at the Northern Illinois University in Naperville, Illinois. Beginning at 2 p.m. ET, or 1 p.m. CT, the event will be webcast live on http://broadbandillinois.org. Viewing the event online is free and open to the public. No registration is necessary to view the webcast.
Second Webinar Added Wednesday, February 23rd at 1:00 PM- Feb 23, 2011
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is announcing the release of the Fiscal Year 2011 Request for Application (RFA) for the Eliminate the Digital Divide Grant Program (EDD).
- Illinois and the National Broadband Map... Make That a Mashup!
- On Broadband, Feb 21, 2011
By Drew Clark
SPRINGFIELD, February 21, 2011 - President Abraham Lincoln began his political career here with a passionate interest in infrastructure improvements.
America knows President Lincoln today because his belief in equal opportunity. What connects that which we know about Lincoln and that which brought him into public life?
Broadband Illinois Launches New Web Site Promoting Tools, Research and Opportunity- Feb 17, 2011
- SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, February 17, 2011 - Illinois residents can now discover who offers high-speed internet service in their neighborhood with a single mouse click or touch on a smart phone.
They do this by visiting http://broadbandillinois.org, a new site launched Thursday by the Partnership for a Connected Illinois (or Broadband Illinois), a non-profit group based in Springfield.