Amador County - The prospect of robust broadband internet access throughout the Mother Lode was the main topic of conversation at the Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting this week. Supervisors ultimately supported efforts by the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency (ATCAA) to continue its Central Sierra Connect program to seek funding for a variety of projects including adding more Neighborhood Information Centers at libraries and other public sites, expanding telemedicine and improving the region’s “Infonet” websites for on-line “information and referral” services. ATCAA recently completed work on an 18-month, $250,000 project to gather information on how rural counties can gain 100 percent coverage for high speed internet. The study included surveys, determining community access and potential prices and was funded through the California Emerging Technology Fund. Project Manager Michelle Shelton said the survey indicates that only 45 percent of households in Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties have access to high speed internet. In Amador County, she said “speed and reliability are bigger factors than the service itself.” The push for expanded high speed access is a top priority of the Obama administration and considerable funding for the cause was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus bill. Shannon Mosher of ATCAA said they can now “provide local service providers with a detailed mapping report in order to help them find funding on their own.” Local providers like Mother Lode Internet in Sonora and Golden State Cellular in Jackson are among the companies that have expressed a strong interest in working together to provide local service. Shelton said the cost for bringing service into the county through a major provider like AT&T would be “prohibitively expensive.” She said only local carriers have so far applied for funding. She said each county contributed time and funding to the project, and each will be able to develop more detailed plans for future projects using the data collected. Supervisor Louis Boitano said he personally places a high importance on the ability for rural residents to have Internet access. He said he has twice put discretionary funds towards the purchase of new computers in the Upcountry Community Center. A community forum hosted by Volcano Communications to discuss this five-county project was held Tuesday night. More information is available online at www.centralsierraconnect.org. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. -
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Amador County - The prospect of robust broadband internet access throughout the Mother Lode was the main topic of conversation at the Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting this week. Supervisors ultimately supported efforts by the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency (ATCAA) to continue its Central Sierra Connect program to seek funding for a variety of projects including adding more Neighborhood Information Centers at libraries and other public sites, expanding telemedicine and improving the region’s “Infonet” websites for on-line “information and referral” services. ATCAA recently completed work on an 18-month, $250,000 project to gather information on how rural counties can gain 100 percent coverage for high speed internet. The study included surveys, determining community access and potential prices and was funded through the California Emerging Technology Fund. Project Manager Michelle Shelton said the survey indicates that only 45 percent of households in Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties have access to high speed internet. In Amador County, she said “speed and reliability are bigger factors than the service itself.” The push for expanded high speed access is a top priority of the Obama administration and considerable funding for the cause was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus bill. Shannon Mosher of ATCAA said they can now “provide local service providers with a detailed mapping report in order to help them find funding on their own.” Local providers like Mother Lode Internet in Sonora and Golden State Cellular in Jackson are among the companies that have expressed a strong interest in working together to provide local service. Shelton said the cost for bringing service into the county through a major provider like AT&T would be “prohibitively expensive.” She said only local carriers have so far applied for funding. She said each county contributed time and funding to the project, and each will be able to develop more detailed plans for future projects using the data collected. Supervisor Louis Boitano said he personally places a high importance on the ability for rural residents to have Internet access. He said he has twice put discretionary funds towards the purchase of new computers in the Upcountry Community Center. A community forum hosted by Volcano Communications to discuss this five-county project was held Tuesday night. More information is available online at www.centralsierraconnect.org. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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