Friday, April 10, 2009

FirstMile.US ARRA Comments Available

http://www.firstmile.us/pubs/NTIARUSComments/index.php

We filed our ARRA comments today at the NTIA. Phew! We've also put the comments on our own website in a downloadable PDF. Our specific recommendations include:
  1. Clarification of the nationwide definition for unserved and underserved is urgent.
  2. A definition for unserved and underserved definition for communities with no/low access to broadband is needed.
  3. A definition for unserved and underserved definition for high population urban communities with low adoption of broadband is needed.
  4. Definition and characterization of public-good “grand challenge” applications are required.
  5. Strong interagency coordination to support the nation’s grand challenges is required.
  6. NTIA and RUS should maximize the opportunity to create new broadband access through middle mile and community connection points
  7. Replicable programs that create new adoption, workforce development and new applications are necessary.
  8. Mapping
  • Verifiable, reliable data sources must be utilized
  • Grand challenge institutions should be mapped.
  • Standardized GIS schema must be created at a national level.
  • The mapping must include more data than the combined upload/download speeds.
  • Broadband services should be mapped.
  • The factors that affect adoption should be mapped.
  • The federal government, state institutions, tribal governments and local leaders should work together to determine the variety of geographical areas needed to understand the true nature of broadband deployment.
  • All federally-owned, state-owned and tribal-owned lands and buildings should be mapped.

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