March 2014 FCC workshop commentary

I only recently started paying attention, because when "Connect America" was first launched, there were no competitive grants.  Now there's "Connect America Phase II" kicking in, and it's offering competitive grants. I may have never tuned in to what was happening, if not for The Daily Yonder... which is exactly why they exist, to get the word out regarding rural issues.  Well, they explain it better at their website.

Years ago, I signed up for The Weekly Yonder emails, which guide me to The Daily Yonder articles.   It's a wonderful, free service and a great website.  So it's March 19th and I'm opening The Weekly Yonder email.  I see this article by Jonathan Chambers at the FCC posted.  I'm reading the article and realize that the FCC is promoting a workshop, and the workshop is about to begin.  Here's a copy of my facebook posts that day:

"LOVE my rural Fiber-to-the-Home. The Daily Yonder's email this morning revealed to me that the FCC is having a workshop today in D.C. about Rural Broadband... making me think "daggone, I'd like to be in that room today" and sure enough, a few more clicks, and VIOLA! I'm IN the room, got into the room before they even started their presentations -- thanks to their live stream!! Enjoying watching this already! I remember the days when you had to actually GO to D.C. to be in the room during a workshop. LOVE THIS!!"

"It's a GREAT workshop! Here's a funny phrase: "We are rural. We are connected. We are an anomaly." They are showcasing a success model of "broadband applications" in rural SD school district where EVERY student has an ipad AND 24/7 broadband access. The English teacher's explanation of how she gets to use the Internet for their "textbook" was an excellent presentation, except this could create some concerns, in my opinion, "I am accessible to students 24/7."

Here's another cool quote, "The Internet allows free-lance consultants to remain in rural areas." She's a librarian in Maine.

Somebody's stock value just went up... as a presenter just pumped a particular company's equipment which just "recently, finally, reached FCC certification..." what a hoot! And they want to install it at every library... probably wants the FCC to require and finance it too.... lol. pardon my sarcasm. gotta luv America!

WAY cool - folks watching online ARE sending in questions via email, and the moderators are compiling the similar questions coming in online and providing responses to them. We've got two-way communications running! woohooo! you go FCC! question # 1: affordability

Yes, getting broadband into remote rural areas can be expensive. I recently compiled that stats. My firm has written 9 successful federal rural broadband deployment grants for 3 clients in two states, totaling $7,049,477 in grant awards over an 8-year period (2005 - 2012). I got slammed in The Washington Post for the 2005 grant having the audacity to get a $506,048 grant to serve a community with a population of 714. (That'd be $708 "per person.") The 2012 grant for $1,059,704 was to get to a community with a population of 15. (That'd be $70,646 "per person.") And then we ran out of eligible communities?! Although none of these numbers reflect how many homes got hooked up along the way to the remote community.... How do I put that into a "marketing" sentence? "Need a federal rural broadband deployment grant? Our extensive experience with federal broadband grants has enabled our firm to increase the grant award from $708 per person to $70,646 per person." ring! ring! I hear The Washington Post reporter calling me again! lol. and to think that I complain about penny stock scams. lol. then again, I recently figured out that the penny stock scammers are running in not only the alternative energy sector, but also the telecommunications sector as well. oh well!  http://www.washingtonpost.com/.../04/22/AR2009042203637.html

Asheville NC is in the room in DC. Shenandoah Valley Virginia is in the room in DC. The Shenandoah Valley Virginia feller is talking about "cows, chickens and trees" while describing his service area.

wish there was a facebook group running for all the workshop participants today. lol

woohoo! lunch break. reconvene at 1:30PM.

GREAT presentation from the lady in California regarding USA broadband maps which are used to determine "unserved" and "underserved" areas -- as she showed that our national maps show "advertised" areas served -- which are very different than "actual" areas served! woohooo! kudos to the California lady, Catherine Sandoval.

and here's a story about an investigative journalist in West Virginia who became a broadband grant scambuster! http://www.dslreports.com/.../Dysfunctional-West-Virginia...

One of the participants asked, "How much money it going to be made available and what can you use it for?" Answer: "Nothing has been decided." Meanwhile, the FCC just got over 1000 responses during a public comment period -- and they do seem to be gearing up for spending a bunch of money on USA rural broadband deployment again... they're just trying to figure out how best to use the money??

Of course there's lots of talk about bandwidth and speed. One thing that EVERYONE in the room agrees on: fiber-to-the-home is the ULTIMATE connection. They call it "future-proof." My Internet connection is "future-proof" ! woohoo!