Before a standing room only audience, the California Broadband Council (CBC) today adopted by consensus a statement on broadband in education calling for five changes:
1. Adopting a statewide goal of 1:1 student-to-computer ratio for all students;
2. Ensure students have enough per-student bandwidth to support all E-learning activities with campus-wide “anywhere” access;
3. Support legislation requiring textbook publishers of state-adopted instructional materials to offer their products (a) in digital formats; (b) “”unbundled” so districts only need to purchase what they need; and (c) at a price equal of less than their print version.
4. Encourage schools and broadband providers to collaborate in public-private partnerships that offer affordable broadband service from providers to augment programs that integrate computing and broadband technology into teaching and learning in low performing schools; and
5. Roll out digital textbooks.
Created by law in 2010, the CBC is charged with marshalling the state’s resources to further broadband network deployment and eliminating the Digital Divide by expanding broadband accessibility, literacy, adoption and usage. In a public meeting today chaired by Chairman Michael Peevey, President of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the CBC heard reports on a number of broadband initiatives in the state. Other Council members in attendance included Assemblymember and Chair of the Committee on Utilities and Commerce Steven Bradford, Secretary of the California Technology Agency (CTA) Carlos Ramos, California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) CEO Sunne Wright McPeak, and senior officials of the California Emergency Management Agency, Supt. of Public Instruction, Department of General Services, and the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency.
Eric Brown, President and CEO of the California Telehealth Network (CTN), reported that the CTN has enrolled over 300 health care sites and 530 locations. Fifty-five percent are what the FCC considers “non-rural areas’ but Brown noted that these “non-rural areas” include obviously rural towns like Eureka and Arcata. Forty-five percent are federally-qualified health care centers,30% are rural clinics and 70% are critical access hospital.
While AT&T currently holds the 3-year contract as the CTN vendor, Brown reported that potential new providers responding to a recent request for proposals include Clear, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, TelePacific, Verizon and two ARRA middle mile projects, CVIN dba Vast Networks, and Digital 395. He stated that by expanding providers, CTN can cut the time of installation and expand faster. Brown said CTN is working to become economically sustainable, and is generating half a million dollars in subscriber fees a year. CTN is working on aggregating demand by its users for applications such as a web-based, secure scheduling and referral tool, and audio and visual services.
Brown also reported on the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) changes to the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, now called the Health Care Connect Fund. Compared to the prior Pilot Program, the new Fund allows only 65% reimbursement whereas the old program allowed 85%. This lower reimbursement level will have a significant impact on the program, Brown warned but the issue can be mitigated by use of the CPUC’s California Teleconnect Fund, which can fund up to 17% of the new 35% match. The overall FCC funding level for the new Health Care Connect program is higher however, at $150 million a year nationwide. Brown reported that California currently uses about $7-8 million a year of these funds. The new funds become available to CTN on July 1, 2013. Newly-eligible facilities include administrative locations and data centers of eligible health care providers. CTN is doing outreach to eligible providers, particularly rural and tribal entities. Brown also announced the first statewide telehealth summit will be held on April 15-16 at the Meritage resort in Napa with 200 already signed up.
The CBC then heard from four members representing the CASF Regional Consortia, Connie Stewart, Julie Langou, Diana Rodriguez, and Tara Thronson. Among the points made: (1) complaints regarding inaccurate ISP broadband service claims on the California broadband maps, (2) requests for improved back haul and middle mile facilities in rural California, particularly the northeast section of the state (3) requests for state support with local siting challenges which can be barriers to improved broadband service, (4) improved digital literacy training that takes into account the diversity of California’s residents, (5) expanding CASF eligibility beyond telephone corporations and those holding CPUC wireless authority; and (6) requests for help with large incumbent broadband providers who are reluctant to meet with local regional broadband consortia members to improve service to their rural communities.
On the digital literacy plea, Asm. Bradford agreed, saying, “Being connected is one thing. Being [digitally] literate in this field is a whole different thing. I know a lot of dumb people with a smartphone.”
Michael Morris of the CPUC’s Video Franchising and Broadband branch, reported that the CPUC has added new layers to the California broadband maps showing broadband adoption and penetration. This will assist in pinpointing exactly where the digital divide is. He said the CPUC is also focusing on measuring mobile broadband services, including fixed wireless providers. He said he does not want to see an IP-enabled service digital divide created. He also said that the CPUC will launch a mobile app in the Android store soon.
Cynthia Gomez, the Governor’s Tribal Adviser and Executive Secretary for the Native American Heritage Commission of California, offered to act as a liaison to the tribal entities, suggested a task force on broadband tribal issues similar to a federal level task force on broadband, and supported legislative efforts to change the eligibility restrictions on CASF funds to include tribal nations.
Jarrid Keller, CIO of the California State Library, described two innovative broadband programs in public libraries. In Whittier, he described a new Community Wi-Fi Hub program, where the Whittier Library put up two omni directional antennas to put one mile of Wi-Fi in the immediate community around the library to enhance Internet access, and create city-wide growth. The Hub supports 200+ users including a dense housing complex and cost only $20,000 of Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding, relying on open source technology. Library users can also check out a small antenna to enhance the reception of the WiFi signal at their home. He said and challenges included politics (city v. county and challenges by local ISPs), leafy trees that blocked the signal, and high density housing in the target area.
Keller also described the Google Chromebook pilot program, intended to attack the major issue of heavy demand to use PCs in California public libraries. The California State Library used LSTA funds to deploy 1,000 Chromebooks throughout public libraries in California beginning in September 2012. He said the goal is to create more Net access points in libraries through devices that do not require a lot of staff set up time and effort. So far, 960 Chromebooks have been distributed to 44 participating libraries and 4,333 checkouts have occurred statewide. Chromebooks may be checked out to bring home.
Brenda Kempster and Christina Gagnier described the unique JobScout program, which uses gaming/social media techniques on both a website and mobile apps (IOS and soon Android) to teach digital literacy skills for people looking for jobs. A Spanish language site is launching soon. Partners in the project include the California State Library, the California Technology Agency, LinkAmericas, and TRAIL. They are expanding efforts from just state libraries to schools and workforce development agencies. On an $800,000 budget, the JobScout program is offered in 1,057 California public libraries, at the cost of $50 a month per library. It has touched 50,000 users to date, with over 5,000 site visits.
The CPUC’s Rob Osborne of the CBC Working Group gave progress reports on the surplus state computer project. Schools have been reluctant to take the older vintage state surplus computers as they do not have the ability to perform refurbishing work. Suggestions were made to change the law to expand the recipients of the surplus state computers to low income persons via refurbishers, and instead of the current schools. Osborne and Adelina Zendejas of the CTA gave a report on the use of state buildings and structures for potential collocation by broadband providers. The working group met with the CTA Public Safety Communications group. One fee is for public safety sites and another fee will be for non public safety sites. The fee levels are being studied and a more standardized approached is being reviewed, for hopeful conclusion in about three months.
This week is “California Broadband Week” in the state Capitol, with an Assembly hearing on broadband held March 11th, called by Asm. Bradford, CPUC-led meetings of the Statewide Regional Broadband Consortia yesterday and today, and a grantee meeting of the CETF tomorrow. Due to the confluence of these events, the meeting room for the CBC hearing was overflowing with broadband advocates.
Photo: Rachelle Chong
