A-TCAA CSC Sonora Computer Lab Open!

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Shout out to Craig Settles :)

I met Craig last week at the Rural Broadband Conference in Redding CA. He is a sharp guy and a saavy twitterer.

http://twitter.com/cjsettles

Here’s his site. Go give him some love!

http://www.successful.com/

Another jab at the board member that told me “No one wants to go online and look at those tiny screens.” Whatevs, man. Go stick your head back in the sand.~ Michelle

http://hothardware.com/News/Ericsson-Sees-35-Billion-Mobile-Broadband-Users-By-2015/

Mobile Internet use is on the rise. If you follow technology at all, that’s no surprise to you, but you may be taken aback by just how quickly the technology could become a household mainstay. It didn’t take too long for the television to sweep across the world, and the Internet is getting there at an even faster rate. Mobile broadband is one luxury that most in the world are still living without, but to say it’s not a booming market would be a mistake. Many avid travelers still feel that Internet access everywhere is their most important travel asset (yes, even over food), and now Ericsson is putting out some figures that are causing folks to take a good, hard look at where WWAN is going.

Read more: http://hothardware.com/News/Ericsson-Sees-35-Billion-Mobile-Broadband-Users-By-2015/#ixzz0oaezD900

US “Happy” with 4 Mbps baseline?

Suuure we are, that is why Comcast et al are pushing so hard to increase speed, why ATT is rolling out U-Verse left and right, why providers are leaping to 4 G, uh huh. Now sell me some oceanfront property in AZ. Europeans are just more effective at complaining than Americans (see French truckers strike at the drop of the hat). ~Michelle

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/05/us-happy-with-4mbps-baseline-europe-demands-30mbps-for-all.ars

The grand master plan for European broadband is out, and one target leaves the United States in the digital dust—a goal of 30 Mbps “or above” for all Europeans by 2020. So says the European Commission’s Digital Agenda for Europe, which also wants 50 percent of EU households subscribed to links of 100Mbps or more by that year.
“Today only 1 percent of Europeans have a fast fibre-based internet connection, compared to 12 percent of Japanese and 15 percent of South Koreans,” the document laments. “Europe needs widely available and competitively priced fast and ultra fast internet access.

More at the link.

FCC Frees Up 25 Mhz wireless spectrum

Niiiice I wonder how this impacts local providers? ~Michelle

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/196813/fcc_frees_up_25mhz_of_wireless_spectrum_for_broadband.html

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has adopted rules that would allow mobile broadband providers to offer services on a 25MHz band of spectrum that’s been controversial because of interference concerns from satellite radio provider Sirius XM Radio and other users of nearby spectrum.

More at the link.

BB availability Mapping by .gov

We plan on doing something like this on centralsierraconnect.org ~ Michelle

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2011915897_check_your_broadband_options_w.html

If you’re curious about what sort of broadband is available in your neighborhood, check out the new interactive map released today by the state of Washington’s Department of Information Services.

After you enter an address, the map lists broadband providers in that area, the technology they use and their advertised upload and download speeds.

Additional map layers that can be displayed include population, age, median income, education level, land use and small business locations.

The state also is offering a link to an Internet connection speed test to see how fast your service really is, plus an optional survey for reporting your situation.

It’s part of an effort to improve broadband infrastructure by first establishing what services are offered. The state worked with Sanborn Map Co. and Applied Geographics on the map, which was funded by the state and a National Telecommunications and Information Administration grant.

Buh-Bye, Australia’s “All You Can Eat” BB menu

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/telecom-pulls-all-you-can-eat-broadband-plan-123269

Telecom pulls all-you-can-eat broadband plan
Chris Keall | Thursday May 20, 2010 – 05:00am
[UPDATE: See Telecom statement on alternative plans end of main text]

Ralph! We miss you already!

Hot on the heels of Ralph Brayham’s resignation, the Big Time uncapped data plan championed by the Telecom head of home services has got the chop.

The news – yet to be made public – was broken early this morning in a letter to members of Geekzone, who had been complaining about performance of connection on the “Big Time” plan (see full letter below).

ATT says “Our BB Fast Enough”

Riiiiight. Sure it is. I’d abandon it tout suite for cable speed if it was available. Just sayin’. ~M

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Our-Broadband-Is-Fast-Enough-108473

AT&T: Our Broadband Is Fast Enough
Company remains confident in plan to nurse copper
11:05AM Wednesday May 19 2010 by Karl Bode
tags: dsl · business
Yesterday we noted how AT&T has announced they are conducting DSL trials that will allow them to offer 80 Mbps broadband service, though we also noted that most of you (given long loop lengths) would probably never see those speeds. We spoke with AT&T about the trial, which the company says will use “pair bonding, vectoring, (and) spectrum management,” and “can be done very inexpensively and on a per-user basis.” AT&T did not respond to inquiries pressing on the very real distance limitations that seemingly make this “announcement” a little empty.

More at the link above.

Sprint HTC Evo 4G Could Dump Home BB Service

I’d like to dump my ATT home service for true EVDO. I can feel it coming soon….~Michelle

http://www.onlykent.com/20100515/sprint-htc-evo-4g-could-dump-home-broadband/

Bailout for Muni BB? I sincerely hope NOT.

When does my bail out happen? Waaaahhh, the stupid, it burns.~Michelle

http://www.lincolntribune.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=17213

DAVIDSON — Residents of Davidson and Mooresville have been staggered in recent days by news that the $92.5 million cable TV and broadband system the towns own jointly will require an additional $6.4 million subsidy from taxpayers next year. The need for additional funding follows a recent $576,000 cash call on the towns from M-I Connection to keep the system operating for the remainder of the current fiscal year.

Local officials and their consultants pitched the system to taxpayers as a nearly risk-free investment in 2007