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MN Rural Broadband Promotion Project[Note - This project is now complete. The information on this page will not be updated but remains online for archival purposes. If you want help promoting broadband in your area, please contact us. Thanks!]If you're interested in Minnesota Broadband issues, check out Blandin on Broadband. Minnesota Rural Partners and Community Technology Advisors with support from the Blandin Foundation are conducting a study to learn which broadband market development activities result in more broadband users and more uses of broadband. We will be following the process on this web site…. Broadband Study featured in Midwest Press (Summer 2004) The Broadband Marketing Study was recently featured in the Summer 2004 Edition of TANgents, the Technologies Across Nebraska Newsletter. The article is available online. Broadband Study featured in Minnesota Press (May 2004) The May issue of Twin Cities Business Monthly highlights the efforts
in Rural Minnesota to boost broadband connectivity to keeper smaller
communities connected to the global economy. The
article is available online. MRP Broadband Communities Get Training; Share Experiences (Feb 23, 2004) Six of nine participating communities made it through a snowstorm to participate in a productive day of learning and sharing. Thanks to Onvoy for hosting this meeting and lending us their videoconference and computer training facilities. Rae Montgomery of the University of Minnesota Extension Service conducted a "Train the Trainer" session on Extension's new E-Broadband curriculum. Participants are now ready to go back to their communities and train community members on broadband technology and applications. Our participants were the first to see this new resource and provided lots of great feedback for Rae to use as she revises the training materials. MRP Broadband communities are able to use this material without the usual licensing agreements sought by the Extension Service. At lunch, participants learned about Onvoy's advanced network and IP-based services. Several participants were amazed to learn that Onvoy services were being used by their health care providers for tele-health networks. After lunch, we connected via videoconference to communities in
Iowa and Nebraska. Communities in all states provided an update
on project successes and challenges. We had lots of questions between
the sites and resource information was shared. People stayed to
network after our formal adjournment, even on a Friday afternoon.
A real measure of a successful meeting! New Horizons Offers Wide Range of Services (Feb 18, 2004) New Horizons has joined the Broadband study as a very active member. They are currently offering project communities a wide range of e-learning classes. For more information, check out the resources below:
Communities are Meeting Feb 20 for Training and Networking (Jan 31, 2004) Minnesota communities participating in the Rural Broadband Promotion Project will come together on February 20th for a full day of learning and sharing. In the morning, the University of Minnesota Extension Service will provide a Train the Trainer program on their new E-Broadband curriculum. After lunch, they will get an opportunity to share success stories with a number of communities in Nebraska via videoconference. Iowa communities may join in as well. Thanks to Onvoy for providing meeting space and video bridging services. Web Sites for Broadband Users (Jan 30, 2004) Project leader, Bill Coleman, has compiled a directory of sites that have proved useful to broadband users both in their professional and personal lives. Once you have a broadband connection, it doesn't take long to find ways the Internet can help with daily tasks. If you have suggestions to add to the list, please email Bill. (Click here to access the directory.) The Guide is Now Available! (Nov 11, 2003) MRP today unveils the first version of their Rural Broadband Market Development Guide. The guide is available online and will be updated as the Broadband Market Study progresses. (Note: The guide is currently being updated. It will be republished and available for purchase in July 2004.) MRP MN Rural Broadband Project Update (Oct 22, 2003) CTAC received 14 applications from communities interested in participating in the Broadband Study; we have selected 9. They are: Tracy, Moose Lake, Grand Marais, Hoyt Lakes, Starbuck, Madelia, Bird Island, Milan and Canby. Each community has committed a minimum of $2500 cash, plus substantial in-kind commitment from local schools, higher education, ISPs, cable TV and telephone companies. (Click here to view application summary descriptions.) Our first activity will be a video conference connecting the nine communities to discuss the project timelines and details. Sponsors include the Blandin Foundation, New Horizons Computer Learning Center and Onvoy. Market development activities will be launched in January. The Rural Telecommunication Congress learns about the Study (Oct 3, 2003) Bill Coleman presents information on the broadband marketing study to a national audience at the 2003 Rural Telecongress meeting in Washington DC. Click here to see a web-version of the presentation. |
Community Updates:Read
the latest update from community participants: Project
Tools: New Horizon E-Learning Info Study Partners
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Email: info@minnesotaruralpartners.org • Phone: (651) 645-9403 • Fax: (651) 646-3818