Category Archives: Broadband

September 15, 2010Mr. Dallas Tonsager, Under SecretaryUSDA Rural DevelopmentWashington, DC 20250 Dear Mr. Tonsager: I am writing to express my support for the Broadband Initiatives Program grant application submitted by Cherry Capital Connection, LLC. This funding will support the Elk … Continue reading →

Charter apparently does not support broadband efforts from “served areas” that apply for federal stimulus money, judging from its official position on wireless broadband, as follows: Charter believes broadband stimulus funding for infrastructure projects should be targeted to unserved areas … Continue reading →

ER-BAM member Tom Stephenson penned these additional notes about the recent ER-BAM/Cherry Capital Connection broadband meeting. On Thursday, September 16 Cherry Capital Connection (CCC) was the site of a special presentation and forum by Robin Ancona, Director of the Michigan … Continue reading →

The Broadband initiative is still in the running for a Federal grant. Recently, in support of the grant application, Cherry Capital Connection received a letter of support from the Michigan Public Service Commission of the Department of Energy, Labor & … Continue reading →

The first round 2, Dept. of Agriculture grant in Michigan has now been awarded. Today, United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of federal stimulus funding to Air Advantage, a Frankenmuth-based Internet Service Provider. The funding … Continue reading →

“ The city-owned utility, EPB, plans to announce on Monday that by the end of this year it will offer ultra-high-speed Internet service of up to one gigabit a second. That is 200 times faster than the average broadband speed … Continue reading →

Gov. Jennifer Granholm says five Michigan companies have received federal recovery grants totaling $42 million to build broadband Internet systems for underserved areas. The grants announced Wednesday are through the U.S. Agriculture Department. Crystal Automation Systems Inc. gets $26.5 million … Continue reading →

In the most recent issue of Information Week, Jonathan Feldman writes about the sorry state of broadband in the United States and why it is sorely needed. Companies need better broadband into their offices, factories, and warehouses, but they should … Continue reading →

President Obama signed a memorandum today committing the government to provide 500 MHz worth of new broadband to ease the use of electronic equipment ranging from cell phones to laptop computers. "America’s future competitiveness and global technology leadership depend, in … Continue reading →

        Here is the official ER-BAM broadband application summary that is on file for Federal grant money, reformatted into two columns, but not extensively otherwise, to conserve space.  (Source: USDA Round Two Application Directory) Broadband USAApplication DirectoryPage … Continue reading →

Letter to the Editor, Record-Eagle, April 28 Under full disclosure, CCC (CCCwifi.com) is a high-speed Internet service provider in the region. CCC has applied for a $13.5 million stimulus grant to address the needs in a six-county region of the … Continue reading →

The growth of the internet-connected workplace will force political leaders to re-think the policies needed to foster economic growth, argued Cisco Systems researcher Norman Jacknis Wednesday. “Mayors traditionally want big companies to move to their cities to generate jobs….” BroadbandBreakfast … Continue reading →

Summary of the ER-BAM proposal Cherry Capital Connection, LLC is requesting $13,550,653 in BIP Middle Mile Infrastructure funding in support of Last Mile Delivery and the goals established by Elk Rapids Broadband Area Maximization (ER-BAM). A hybrid solution of fiber … Continue reading →

SCORE is an organization that is active in our area. SCORE, a corps of executives providing counseling to small businesses, has partnered with a handful of large firms to donate $1.1 million to help small firms better use broadband technologies. … Continue reading →

Scott Stevenson, writing in The Detroit News, articulates some problems that come with current government policies for broadband penetration in America. It’s fashionable these days for government officials to talk about the importance of expanding broadband — high-speed Internet services … Continue reading →

Broadband Breakfast is publishing a series of articles that explain the plan. Here is what’s out there so far: Chapter 4 and FCC Recommendations Chapter 4 and Networks A Look at Chapter 3 Chapter 2: ‘Goals for a High-Performance America’ … Continue reading →

Thousands of miles from home at a military base in Afghanistan, Thomas Gilleran tried his best not to break down. "I bet $5 I wouldn’t," Major Gilleran told his family this morning through a live video stream at the U.S. … Continue reading →

By Tom Vranich, Editor, The Elk Rapids News April 1, 2010 (reprinted with permission) Working together for four solid days last week, core members of ER-BAM passed up a Dept. of Commerce grant application deadline on Friday to pursue a … Continue reading →

Broadband is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Affordable broadband is a building block for healthy communities. But less than half of rural adults have access to broadband at home, while two-thirds of metropolitan adults do.  ruralstrategies.org The Center for … Continue reading →

[Recent research] by John B. Horrigan, formerly of Pew Internet and now at the Federal Communications Commission, finds that 78% of adults in the U.S. are internet users and 65% of adults have home broadband access. Adults who do not … Continue reading →

To see how broadband is transforming American life, walk down a busy street or pay a visit to any school, business or airport. Parents on business trips use their smartphones to check e-mail or watch short videos of their children … Continue reading →

Used to be Plan A Several key members of ER-BAM convened over the weekend and found a way to apply for the Department of Agriculture broadband grant, due yesterday, using much of the same material prepared for the Department of … Continue reading →

Despite the hard work of Elk Rapids Broadband Area Maximization, the online federal grant system proved to be too daunting to conquer by such a local grassroots endeavor. The deadline of 10 p.m. last night for the Community Infrastructure grant … Continue reading →

The editorial board of The Christian Science Monitor likes the plan but has the following concerns, summarized below:  CSM Using a modified Universal Service Fund to pay for broadband might reclassify the Internet as a telecom service, which could subject … Continue reading →

Excerpt from Broadband Competition and Pricing: Lessons Providers must Learn  By Leonard Grace I believe everyone can agree that Broadband Competition and Pricing are high on their lists of all things broadband. Yes, consumers and businesses alike want a high … Continue reading →

On March 16, 2010 America today is on the verge of a broadband-driven Internet era that will unleash innovation, create new jobs and industries, provide consumers with new powerful sources of information, enhance American safety and security, and connect communities … Continue reading →

In 1938, President Roosevelt travelled to Gordon Military College in Barnesville, Georgia, to speak at the dedication of a local utility. "Electricity is a modern necessity of life, not a luxury," the President told the audience, "That necessity ought to … Continue reading →