Newsroom

700-MHz Demonstration Stakeholder Meeting in Boulder

Earlier this month, representatives from each of the seven BTOP 700 MHz wireless broadband public safety projects spent time at the Department of Commerce Research Labs in Boulder learning about the most recent developments in LTE wireless broadband technology.

NTIA and the Department of Commerce's Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) recently released a report that analyzes broadband Internet adoption and use across the United States. “Exploring the Digital Nation,” the new study, finds that although socio-economic factors like income and education are strongly associated with broadband Internet use, they are not the sole determinants of adoption.

The SmartChicago Sustainable Broadband Adoption project is developing innovative approaches to drive broadband adoption in Chicago. The project is funded by BTOP, managed by Local Initiatives Support Corporation/Chicago, and is a part of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Digital Excellence Initiative.

Now that all the broadband stimulus grants have been awarded I’d like to spend a few moments discussing what we’ve accomplished and what lies ahead. In less than 20 months, NTIA built a multi-billion dollar grant program from the ground up. This is the largest grant program that NTIA has ever managed and is one of the largest ever managed at the Department of Commerce. We had to hire staff, build the information systems, develop the rules, perform due diligence on the proposals, and award over $4 billion in grants, all before this past September 30.

Recently, Merit Network had the pleasure of welcoming state and federal officials to our headquarters. They joined us to celebrate the culmination of multiple BTOP awards that together will deliver the transformative power of broadband to communities throughout Michigan. The excitement we shared with the many stakeholders who participated in our grant announcement event in August is as strong today as it was when we first learned of our award.

This week, NTIA posted the most recent quarterly reports of BTOP recipients. It’s terrific to see these projects really begin to take off – from public computer centers opening, to infrastructure project groundbreakings, to sustainable broadband adoption training beginning – the benefits are becoming more and more visible.

Last week, Dr. Jill Biden hosted the first ever White House Summit on Community Colleges, at which President Obama spoke.

The summit brought together community colleges, businesses, philanthropic organizations, federal and state policy leaders, and faculty and students to discuss how community colleges can help meet the job training and education needs of the American workforce.

Earlier this year, at the start of Round Two, BTOP partnered with USDA’s Broadband Initiatives Program, to launch BroadbandMatch, an online tool that allowed potential broadband grant applicants to find partners for their projects, helping them to combine expertise and create stronger proposals.

In proclaiming last week as National Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) Week, President Obama stated:

When I stepped into the Health and Human Services Building at Coppin State University yesterday to share in the celebration of the grand opening of the Coppin Heights-Rosemont Family Computer Center, I was greeted by University President Dr. Reginald S. Avery. He was beaming with pride at being one of the few universities in the country to receive a BTOP award. He could name the others that had won, including Michigan State and Minnesota. He knew he was in select company.

Monday was a great day. Under the presidential gaze of nearby Mount Rushmore, I had the honor of participating in the groundbreaking for Project Connect South Dakota – a $25.7 million infrastructure project that will bring fiber optic broadband service to more than 300 community anchor institutions across the state. Based on the enthusiasm of the crowd of state officials, representatives from the partner companies, and journalists, I couldn’t help but feel gratified about how our efforts are coming together and are making a real change in peoples’ lives.

On Tuesday I had the pleasure of visiting the first public computer center opened as a result of a $1.9 million BTOP grant to the City of Boston. The opening, at the Mildred Avenue Community Center in Mattapan, was attended by Mayor Menino, other city officials, and project partners the Boston Public Library, Boston Housing Authority, and Boston Centers for Youth and Families. Dare I say that it was “wicked” exciting?

Yesterday was a great day to be a part of the Department of Commerce. In honor of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Department teamed up with the Federal Communications Commission to host a technology fair showcasing technologies for persons with disabilities. There were more than 40 companies and organizations represented. Although a wide range of exhibitors attended, I was struck by how much of the technology had a tie-in to broadband and the Internet.

Since the Three Ring Binder project received BTOP funding in December 2009, we have been hard at work moving forward to make this project a reality for Maine. One of the first steps we took was working with state legislators and telecom, business, and community stakeholders to

One of the key benefits of expanding broadband services in America is improved public safety communications. Fire, police, and other safety officials must be able to communicate seamlessly and reliably with one another to best prevent and respond to emergencies. New broadband applications can transform emergency response, too. For example, broadband can enable first responders to view the layout of a burning building before entering it or transmit critical video images from an accident scene.

This week we received and posted valuable input from States, Territories and Tribal entities about our Round 2 applications. As a result, BTOP staff will have valuable, in-depth perspectives into the local impact of the proposals under consideration. As was the case in round one, we received thoughtful views from State CTOs, technology advisors and other key staff for governors and Tribal Leaders on which projects would best reach their most underserved and economically needy areas.

This week marked the announcement of the final BTOP Round 1 grants. "Last, but not least" certainly describes these awards. Among them are some very meritorious last mile infrastructure projects in Idaho, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Washington. In Puerto Rico, we are funding a project that will enable broadband providers, anchor institutions, and government entities to band together to deploy a wireless middle mile network across the island, enhancing access and reduce costs.

The BTOP Compliance/Environmental Team marked Earth Day yesterday by accepting the 2010 Department of Commerce Environmental Stewardship Award from the Commerce Department’s Director for Administrative Services Mary Pleffner and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration John Charles. This annual award recognizes outstanding achievements of Department employees for efforts that significantly contribute to, or will promote, environmental stewardship.

WASHINGTON—The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that with two months until the transition to digital television concludes, 76 percent of all households that rely on television with an antenna have requested coupons from the TV Converter Box Coupon Program.  Based on self-reporting, 11 million households have requested coupons out of 14.3 million that Nielsen says rely on TV over-the-air.  The program helps households switch to digital television when full-power TV broadcasters transition from analog to 1

WASHINGTON -- The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that more than 40 million coupons have been requested, and more than 16 million coupons have been redeemed, to date, from the TV Converter Box Coupon Program.

WASHINGTON -- The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today hosted more than 25 federal agencies to further coordinate efforts to educate vulnerable Americans about the February 17, 2009, deadline to transition to digital television and the TV Converter Box Coupon Program.  To date, more than 20 million households have requested more than 39 million coupons and redeemed more than 16 million coupons since the program opened on January 1, 2008.

WASHINGTON -- The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today applauded EDUCAUSE’s actions to introduce Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) in the .EDU top-level domain.  EDUCAUSE is responsible for the management of .EDU through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Commerce.  

WASHINGTON—The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded today $1.65 million to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund (LCCREF) to help vulnerable populations transition to digital television with the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. Coupons should be requested by the end of the year for consumers to be prepared when full-power TV broadcasters switch from analog to 100 percent digital broadcasts after February 17, 2009—88 days from today.

Remarks of Meredith Attwell Baker, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce
(As Prepared)

The Media Institute’s Communications Forum
November 20, 2008 - Washington, D.C.

Introduction

Thank you, Dick, for everything you’ve done and thanks for that kind introduction.  I am delighted to be here, especially on a day of particular historical significance for defenders of the First Amendment.