To prove that our communities on the Coast have large unserved portions (MCBA estimates about 50% of the population), each household on dial up, DSL, or satellite is encouraged to register on the www.broadband.gov website. Look in the middle column for “Consumer Broadband Test” and then look at the bottom of that section for “Report a Broadband Dead Zone”. It is also interesting to take the Broadband Test to see what your download speed really is.

Those on dial up who cannot register (many on dial up have said they cannot make the site work), send your physical address (not PO Box) with zip code to either carol@oakgrove.com or sfreriks@mcn.org. Give permission for them to enter your data on the website. You can maximize this effort by getting friends and neighbors to do it too. Either Carol or Shirley can send a Registry Form for you to circulate to other “Dead Zone” folks in your area to give their permission to have their addresses entered. You can put the Registry up at the local store, Grange, local meeting hall, church, Post Office, or walk it around the neighborhood. Send it to the email addresses noted or to MCBA, PO Box 12, Albion, 95410.

It is important to get as many households to register as possible to achieve critical mass to change the false broadband availability data and increase the chances of all the residences and businesses on the Coast getting connected to this vital communication vehicle. Future generations will thank you.

PS – A New York Times article states that “high speed Internet is on its way to replacing the telephone as the nation’s primary means of communication.” Read the whole article.

Susanne Norgard, Executive Director, writes in the Ukiah Daily Journal about people and organizations improving lives in our community.

It has long been recognized that “giving back” most effectively involves helping people and communities to help themselves. Whether it is supporting projects that teach someone a new skill, or providing resources that allow people to use the skills they already have, effective philanthropy acknowledges that everyone has something to contribute.

This theme underlies “rural development philanthropy,” which was a topic of discussion at the Community Foundation’s recent board retreat. “Rural development philanthropy” is a philosophy that unites the tools of community, economic and resource development and builds a community’s ability to shape a better future.

…

…on February 9th, several board members from the Community Foundation, the Mendocino Coast Broadband Alliance, Rural Broadband Now, AccessHumboldt, and others joined the County CEO’s office in urging the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors to adopt a Resolution to “support the development and capacity build-out of broadband connectivity throughout the County.” The Resolution, which was passed unanimously by the board, calls for the mobilization of resources for rural economic development efforts supporting broadband development, assistance to all broadband projects, and convening and facilitation of community and agency information sessions.

…

[Read the rest of this article]

January 29, 2010

Good news for some Comptche residents! After many years of dedication and passionate work, Randal MacDonald and his committee succeeded in their efforts to get AT&T to provide DSL service for some unserved residences in the Comptche area. There is another effort underway to have the coverage expanded.

Meanwhile, MCN is now taking DSL orders so call 937-1444 to see if it is available where you live.

Results of Survey on Broadband Interest

Executive Summary, April 30, 2008

Survey Logistics

A survey titled “Request for Information on Broadband Interest” was conducted from 3/1/08 to 4/25/08, administered through both paper and online survey instruments. A total of 800 paper surveys were distributed door-to-door and to central pickup points along the Mendocino coast from Albion to Westport. Directions to the SurveyMonkey site: http://tinyurl.com/2xhdd2 were published in local newspapers, emailed to local mailing lists, posted on bulletin boards and included with the printed survey. A total of 185 responses were collected (44 paper, 141 online). The largest cluster (42%) of respondents was in the town of Albion. The survey was designed to assess current and future broadband access needs for homes and home based businesses.

Key findings

Regardless of current access, respondents want more reliable, higher speed access at an affordable cost. High speed could lessen the physical isolation and economic limitations of coastal living. Many pointed to the inequity of urban vs. rural access and called for mandated broadband availability.

In this largely rural population, the average respondent lives 1065 feet from the county road.

• 90.5 % agreed “High speed Internet should be available to every home.”
• 85.8% agreed “My property is more valuable or marketable with high speed Internet.”
• 93.5% agreed “High speed Internet will make Mendocino County stronger economically.”

Most favored uses included

• 97% Reference and research
• 88% Communications
• 81%Comparing and shopping
• 80%Mapping & Google Earth
• 76% Travel planning
• 75% Media: Images
• 73% Business & Banking
• 72% Computer Support
• 70%Education

55% respondents reported a current home based business. 83% of those estimated growth in income given broadband access. The 11 individuals who reported current home based business annual income are charted to the left. 59% of those without a home based business would be interested in starting one given broadband access. Over 76 different types of home based businesses were reported, ranging from accounting to yoga therapy and including art, construction, design, engineering, finance, medical, music production, private investigation, real estate, sales, teaching, and web production.

Sample Quotes

“I am disabled and having to drive all the way to the Ft. Bragg library to get a decent, fast connection is almost impossible. I am isolated and out of touch. I live right on State Hwy. 1 and I might as well be in Timbuktu — there is NO cable, NO DSL, NO nothing here.”

“I drive 3 days a week almost 70 miles round trip to access a wifi location to do my online work.”

“We are just handicapped when it comes to anything on the internet…Updates for drivers or programs; sometimes a new version of a program can a day or longer to download.”

“We currently have three computers sharing one dialup connection. The lack of a workable high speed connection has impacted us severely.” — “I am very tired of being unable to download new programs and/or upgrades”

“It’s no longer feasible for many people to spend at least $10.00 for gasoline to a larger city where high speed hot spots might be available or where long lines waiting to use computers in some libraries eliminate their usefulness. Amazing how one can travel to a rural part of a third world country and get better Internet speeds there than parts of Mendocino not serviced by cable or DSL!”

“Dial up causes unnecessary stress in my life.” — “with only dial-up, we feel left out and left behind”

“High speed internet access is absolutely critical to the survival and growth of rural communities like the Coast as well as the rest of the county.”

“I have broadband now but the speeds are nothing like what they are in the city. The coast deserves to have service as good as the city,” — “time for us rural types to have 21st century tools like the urbans”

“I feel like I am in the stoneage. It is impossible to do taxes on line for example. I can’t share photos with my family in Germany”

“I am a high school teacher and would like to be able to do research at home. Unfortunately, it takes way too long with dial-up. We were one of the last areas to get private phone lines. We had party lines in the 1970s. Let’s not repeat this travesty. We need high speed internet.”

“high speed internet would enable telecommuting and online educational opportunities for our high school children”

“I sell on ebay and I have found that, on my s-l-o-w dial-up connection I often must wait until the wee hours of the night/early EARLY morning to effectively post items with photos”

“…considered moving to a more remote coastal location… High speed internet ranks up there with water, septic, land for gardening, and good air as essential homesite requirements” — “ Having high speed internet means that we could move to Mendocino (sooner) and not have to rent an office space in town.”

“My wife is a lawyer who telecommutes now and when we move to Mendocino a broad band connection will allow her to retain her profession”

“We are a husband and wife company working out of our home studio for the last 25 years here in Mendocino. We want to launch a website but worry about maintaining it with a dial up connection”

“one airline uses people in Utah for their flight reservations. Retirees, handicaped, stay at home moms, etc. are hooked up by HIGH SPEED INTERNET to the company. The company saves millions of dollars a year by having this highly reliable source of labor right here in the US without going to India for their employees. The Mendocino Coast with its highly educated population would be a great source for a company to use for this type of operation if it were not so removed FROM the mainstream by the lack of HIGH SPEED INTERNET.”

“The era of separate and unequal should be no longer tolerated. Our children, our businesses, and our personal freedom to participate in the global communication network is being limited by our lack of access to high speed internet.”

Conclusion

“Need it bad. Need it now.” –“Please get this for all of us as soon as possible for a reasonable monthly fee.” — “Hurry up !!”

“Were something better available, I would switch in a heartbeat. “ “I very much look forward to broadband services and would sign on immediately if it were available and remain a valued customer.”

“Just like the rural electrification project this needs to be done for everyone” — “Affordable broadband should be available to every American!”

“Irrespective of its tangible utility, the internet is an essential part of our present day culture. A fast connection is essential for participating in it. It is comparable to having a telephone service.”

“PLEASE, GET AT&T TO BRING ALL OF US IN THIS RURAL COMMUNITY HIGH-SPEED INTERNET. THANKS!!” — “The coast as a region from point Arena to Westport needs to for a non-profit corporation to “mandate” access thru the state to “POWER-LINE INTERNET ACCESS” –“ ATT and other phone corporations must be made to provide broadband to ALL areas, whether it be a wired or wireless connection”

]]> http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/2008-survey-results/feed/ 0 jefro surv1 surv2 surv3 http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/getting-high-speed-connection-%e2%80%93-mcba-and-you/ http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/getting-high-speed-connection-%e2%80%93-mcba-and-you/#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:13:35 +0000 gglgrl http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/getting-high-speed-connection-%e2%80%93-mcba-and-you/ ]]> I. MCBA Activities since March 2007
• Mapped residences from Navarro Ridge to Caspar to get residential densities
• Conducted an interest and needs Survey to obtain more detailed local information (see Executive Summary Handout)
• Reached out to the local business community to inform, inspire, and listen in person and with the Why NET Connect? newspaper articles plus participation with the Fort Bragg Economic Development Action Committee
• Strategized a public awareness outreach campaign which included three coastal community meetings (Gualala and Pt. Arena got involved as a result), collaboration with KZYX on programming and news features, booths at local events, and an hour-long program on KZYX on the future of broadband
• Experimented with possible connection solutions to fill the need locally
• Drafted an initial feasibility study for a business plan
• Set the wheels in motion to become a 501c6 entity to get grants/funding
• Collaborated with RCC since November 2007 on regional analysis/surveys and were greatly helped in our work to figure out what to do and how to do it
• Partnered with Kathy Moxon of Humboldt Area Foundation (HAF) and RCC to continue regional coordination work toward deployment
• Partnered with Mitch Sprague of MCN on solutions and local needs
• Partnered with County CEO Mitchell, County Superintendent of Schools Tichinin, County Supervisors and Deputy CEO Of Technology Phan to move Broadband connection project further – Voila! This meeting is the result!
• Introduced more comprehensive language for revised County General Plan to have broadband be considered a utility and basic infrastructure for all residences and businesses, most of which has been accepted for next draft
• Forged relationships with Federal and State legislators and feel supported by Field Representatives from the offices of Senator Feinstein, Senator Boxer, Representative Thompson, Senator Wiggins, and Assemblyman Chesbro
• Met with CPUC Commissioner Chong’s Chief of Staff relative to the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) and attended CPUC meetings on the Stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
• Attended broadband conferences in Fortuna (CA), Newport, (OR), Los Angeles, and Washington DC

II. MCBA Current activities
• Building relationships with a number of associations, advocacy groups, and foundations to share information and create a stronger rural voice
• Researching providers to deploy broadband connections – AT&T applied to connect a number of communities on the Coast but Comcast challenged it and knocked it out. Comcast has not applied however. Comptche survived and AT&T will install DSL service there this year. Randy MacDonald and his group did a masterful job of advocacy for four years to get that.
• Considering public/private partnership possibility if the community needs to set up its own company
• Coordinating regionally with Kathy Moxon of HAF to get the necessary source of bandwidth (backhaul) installed which makes local connection possible – she has made a blanket application to California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) for the four counties in the RCC project to put in this vital backhaul
• Preparing to launch another public awareness campaign to aggregate the demand and get pre-registration for a new high speed Internet service
• Initiating a new partnership with Access Humboldt to work more regionally on marketing, advocacy and deployment strategies
• Offering mentoring to other community demand aggregation and advocacy groups since each community in the County will need to take responsibility

III. YOU can help by doing these things – please sign the email list so we can send details, or visit www.mendocinocoastbroadband.org
• Community and neighborhood collaboration groups must form to better define the local density statistics, create an advocacy voice, and get people “pre-registered” for service so potential providers know there is sufficient demand
• Businesses need to write Letters of Support to legislators and agencies about the broadband need on the coast, quantifying the local and County benefits to the economy as well as the possible losses without it
• Individuals are encouraged to write letters to Federal and State legislators requesting their support as well as Letters to the Editor to educate on need and to encourage people to be counted as wanting/demanding connection
• Individuals will be invited to write their stories of challenges without high speed Internet and quality of life issues to present to the CPUC and other agencies along with the applications
• Financial resources are necessary if we need to form our own entity to provide service since we need to come up with matching funds to the Stimulus funds
• Stay connected with the Broadband Leadership team Facebook site – http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48919381810&ref=ts

THIS IS OUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY AND WE NEED TO SEIZE IT TOGETHER.
The Mendocino Coast Broadband Alliance thanks you for coming!

]]> http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/getting-high-speed-connection-%e2%80%93-mcba-and-you/feed/ 0 gglgrl http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-participate-in-the-new-paradigm/ http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-participate-in-the-new-paradigm/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:48:40 +0000 hilariecoate http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/?p=91 ]]> In the big picture, the 21st Century signals a move away from Industrial Age into the Technological Age. It requires smarter, more creative ways of thinking, working, relating, socializing, purchasing, selling, governance, and participation in government. New types of businesses will be birthed, unimagined jobs created, and social innovation unparalleled. Like it or not, we are a technologically driven world, and every part of our society and world will be transformed by it. The Internet models the principles of this new paradigm.

The first principle of the new paradigm, and computer systems theory, is that everything is interrelated. It is about getting connected, and forming networks on every level from our local community to vast social networking communities like Facebook. The possibilities of future global connections are unfathomable.

Participation by the many is now a key principle to balance the few in Board rooms holding hierarchical power. President-elect Obama is modeling a new way of governance by inviting participation of the citizens on his websites to offer their questions, stories, and ideas. Those on dialup cannot access his weekly video addresses, although they did add text. He is encouraging self-organizing communities so we, the people, can get involved to do our parts locally, and connect to the other communities nationwide on the Web. It is about “WE” more than “ME” in the new paradigm. Obama is bringing a team of advisors together to represent the many and diverse voices in America to promote understanding, cooperation and coordination. All people should be able to tap into these Internet discussions and video conferences.

Equality of Web-based economic opportunity and education are necessary in order to participate in, and reap the rewards of, this new Age. With high speed Internet, it does not matter where a person lives or works now that the world is “flattened” into a computer screen.

What can you do? Even on dial up? Go to http://www.change.gov/  and tell President-elect Obama your story about why it is important for his administration to make funding available first for broadband infrastructure in our rural area to revitalize our economy. On the bar at the top, click on “Agenda” click and scroll down to “Technology” to see the thoughts on broadband. Click “Submit your Ideas” to offer your support and even insistence for rural access. Let our County Supervisors as well as State and Federal elected officials know it matters to you.

]]> http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-participate-in-the-new-paradigm/feed/ 0 hilariecoate http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-online-education-benefits-economy/ http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-online-education-benefits-economy/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:45:40 +0000 hilariecoate http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/?p=86 ]]> Working folks and students alike can benefit from using high speed Internet to enhance their careers and lives – and, in turn, benefit the community and our economy. Adults can take online classes from home to brush up on skills, earn higher degrees and certificates, or continue lifelong learning. Many websites require high capacity connectivity to the Internet to download graphics and video streaming of demonstrations or talks. Our young people are growing up as “Digital Natives” where computer literacy and skills are a prerequisite to compete in the world economy. That means dial up is not adequate today, and will most certainly not be adequate in the near future.

“The rest of society is involved in this high speed world, but many of us here cannot take advantage of it so we are already behind the curve. Why should we suffer because we live in a beautiful place? It is an injustice to the community.” says Don Armstrong, Fort Bragg Superintendent of Schools. Catherine Stone, Mendocino Superintendent of Schools, says, “We need to have no child left behind technologically too.” Geisce Ly, Dean of the College of the Redwoods, wants to offer more online classes but says it is “tough” without adequate connectivity in homes.
Mrs. Stone says that Mendocino kids start on the Web in kindergarten with pen pals in different countries. Third graders learn keyboarding skills. As they move through the grades, students are taught how to do research on the Web. Instant learning results from the world’s resources available online. Blogging and text messaging are a way of life for young people to share what they see and do constantly. Most students on the Coast cannot continue this important “after-school learning” from home.

Paul Tichinin, County Superintendent of Schools, offers more insight into why our students, and our communities, need high speed connections. Students, particularly those who are ill or home schooling, need to access the Web from home for homework. He says that socialization is a big part of the school experience, much of which kids now do via online meetups; they feel cut off without it at home. Administrators need it for webcasts, trainings and video conferences online which save time, money, and fuel.

Schools are designated as evacuation centers in an emergency, and broadband is essential to emergency communications. Heaven forbid we should have a pandemic when people are isolated in their homes, but if we do, the Internet will be used to send information that keeps the community connected.

Equality of access to online education allows everyone to collaborate and compete globally. Digital technology is dictating our kids’ future. They want and deserve to be part of that future. We owe it to them, and our community’s future, to make broadband available to all sooner than later.

]]> http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-online-education-benefits-economy/feed/ 0 hilariecoate http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-more-opportunities-for-workers/ http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-more-opportunities-for-workers/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:31:07 +0000 hilariecoate http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/?p=72 ]]> The face of business on the Coast is changing as some of our long time industries fade, like lumbering and fishing. Making a living looks different now for students as well as adults who want to have better jobs or new careers. Students want to have the 21st Century technical skills industry demands. Many adults look to improve their livelihoods with new degrees or certificates. Businesses want to train and retrain workers online. To do this in today’s world, and certainly in the future, computer technical skills and Internet savvy are necessities. High speed Internet access is a must. The many in our area who are still suffering with dial-up need to start jumping up and down to demand high speed Internet from ATT, Comcast and our County. The opportunities are limited for those without it.

One of the opportunities for people who live up here in Paradise is to work from home. Not only could they have their own home-based businesses or telecommute, but they could be part of the new trend for companies to have information workers all over the country and world. For example, all of airline Jet Blue’s reservation agents work from their homes while connected into the main network. CEO David Neeleman reported on a CBS Evening News interview that the productivity increased 25 percent when they took people out of call cubicles and put them in home offices. He calls this an “Internet revolution”, the way of the future. It is a win-win for happy people working from home as well as for the company.

Online education is getting to be commonplace in areas where broadband is available. College of the Redwoods President Jeff Marsee has set a goal to offer more high quality online classes. Mendocino Coast Dean, Geisce Ly, is poised to do just that, but with our lack of high speed connection outside of the central Fort Bragg and Mendocino areas, he says it is “tough”. He is taking bold and exciting steps nonetheless to prepare students for a 21st Century workforce where computer skills are assumed, and to offer professional development seminars.. He has started to collaborate with some local organizations and the Fire Department to train workers using computer technology.

Just imagine what might be possible as a development strategy for the GP mill site if high speed Internet access was available all over the coast! This could be a new information technology hub putting many people to work – without using gas or valuable travel time to do it!

Shirley Freriks of the Mendocino Coast Broadband Alliance; www.mendocinocoastbroadband.org; comments are welcome at sfreriks@mcn.org

]]> http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/why-net-connect-more-opportunities-for-workers/feed/ 0 hilariecoate http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/please-complete-the-online-survey-by-november-15/ http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/please-complete-the-online-survey-by-november-15/#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:25:09 +0000 hilariecoate http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/?p=60 ]]> With hopes of bringing reliable high speed Internet access to our neighborhood, the Mendocino Coast Broadband Alliance is working with Redwood Coast Connect and conducting this survey to assess the demand for local broadband.

Please take the time to answer these questions. You can fill out the survey online at http://tinyurl.com/2xhdd2/ It is very short and easy to access, even on dialup.

Thank you very much for sharing your Internet needs.
And please encourage your friends and neighbors to complete surveys as well.

]]> http://mendocinobroadband.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/please-complete-the-online-survey-by-november-15/feed/ 0 hilariecoate