Forging Partnerships for Big Broadband Presented by Safiya Umoja Noble Ph.D. Candidate Graduate School of Library & Information Science University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Forging Partnerships for Big Broadband Safiya Umoja Noble Broadband Highlights in the Stimulus Bill: $7.2B for pilot projects /models in underserved/unserved and rural communities $250M for education & training/sustainable adoption $200M for public computing/libraries/community colleges Focus on job creation & employment Priorities include tele-health, environment and public safety

Models of Community-based Broadband Deployment Publicly owned networks can increase Internet access for free or at an affordable price by Safiya Umoja Noble Ph.D. Candidate Libraries, Information & Society Poster Session May 2009 Private Co-ops: are largely comprised of classes of membership made up of municipalities and pubic institutions, telecommunications and cable companies, small and local Internet Service Providers and privately-held companies who share in the network funding and reinvest profits back into the co-op. Municipal Models: municipalities have provided utilities, including water, gas, sewer, power/electricity and telephone over the past 150 years. Many models exist from provision of the basic network and leasing of fiber to private companies, to the municipality itself providing Internet services. Community Co-ops: are emerging as a means of ensuring low- cost access through common, public-interest ownership. Individuals in communities pool resources to build a network that they all share in, keeping Internet access costs low and affordable. Many support “net neutrality” efforts and see Internet access as a “public good” that should not be privatized. The ARRA of 2009 provides $7.2B in broadband funding to identify appropriate, useful and sustainable models. Implementation priorities include: jobs and economic growth; closing the digital divide in rural and underserved areas; spurring competition for service to businesses and residents; working for the public good with open-capacity pipes; investing our own resources; and ensuring that universities, colleges, schools, libraries and hospitals, community and job centers, and public safety organizations to have high speed Internet. Municipal wireless projects in the U.S. Wired magazine Wireless Broadband Networks: allow access in public spaces like downtowns and cafes, and can be public or private. The map at the left shows all of the wired “hotspots” deployed or under development. Wireless speeds are not as fast as fiber directly wired to the premise. Broadband could provide the highest-speed access available to every home and business

Champaign-Urbana Response: History of technology innovation: o Mosaic and Prairienet Early identification by the U of I Director of Networking for CITES Formation of UC2B underway Activation of CUOA website & forums Partnership Developing for Proposal: o CITES o U-C Independent Media Center o Broadband Access Committee o Graduate School of Library & Information Science o C-U Open Access Forging Partnerships for Big Broadband Safiya Umoja Noble

Forging Partnerships for Big Broadband Safiya Umoja Noble

Forging Partnerships for Big Broadband Safiya Umoja Noble

C-U Broadband Wordle

Process of Engagement: Faculty/Staff/Student Strategic Planning Integration with Municipalities Grassroots Communication: o CUOA website o lists, Community Activists, 1:1 meetings o Minority Contractors Assn., Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce o Public forums o WEFT radio shows o Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club, People’s Potluck o Ministerial Alliance & Interfaith Alliance o Food Co-op Forging Partnerships for Big Broadband Safiya Umoja Noble

Forging Partnerships for Big Broadband Safiya Umoja Noble

Desired Outcomes: Successful proposal ($21M awarded in March ‘10) Economic recovery and employment Community asset building Meaningful minority business participation Free/affordable network Strengthening of community Better quality of life in C-U Research & modeling for others Greater democracy Forging Partnerships for Big Broadband Safiya Umoja Noble

Discussion Questions What is the purpose of closing the digital divide? How does technology help low-income communities, or does it? What do you think about the issue of gentrification in relationship to broadband? What other unintended consequences can come from broadband deployment in low-income communities? What benefits?