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'''ConnectKentucky''' is a partnership of private firms and the [[Government of Kentucky|Commonwealth of Kentucky]] that aims to make [[broadband]] Internet access available throughout the state. Primarily funded through county, local, and federal grant programs, the [[501(c)(3)]] organization's CEO, Brian Mefford, aims to make broadband connections of at least 768kbit/s accessible to "100 percent of Kentucky homes." <ref name=Ars>[http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070517-house-dems-broadband-isnt-broadband-unless-its-2-Mbit/s.html]{{dead link|date=August 2011}}</ref> The organization is headquartered in [[Bowling Green, Kentucky]], but has attracted attention from Washington lawmakers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2007/07/08/news/news6.prt |title=Region's Internet speeds along |publisher=bgdailynews.com |date=July 7, 2007 |accessdate=August 10, 2011}}</ref> Noted technologist and Congressman [[Rick Boucher]] said of the project: "If it works in Kentucky, in such a rural state, I think it could provide wonders nationwide."<ref name=Louisville>[http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070609/BUSINESS/706090388]{{dead link|date=August 2011}}</ref>
'''ConnectKentucky''' is a partnership of private firms and the [[Government of Kentucky|Commonwealth of Kentucky]] that aims to make [[broadband]] Internet access available throughout the state. Primarily funded through county, local, and federal grant programs, the [[501(c)(3)]] organization's CEO, Brian Mefford, aims to make broadband connections of at least 768kbit/s accessible to "100 percent of Kentucky homes." <ref name=Ars>[http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070517-house-dems-broadband-isnt-broadband-unless-its-2-Mbit/s.html] {{wayback|url=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070517-house-dems-broadband-isnt-broadband-unless-its-2-Mbit/s.html |date=20070930014614 }}</ref> The organization is headquartered in [[Bowling Green, Kentucky]], but has attracted attention from Washington lawmakers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2007/07/08/news/news6.prt |title=Region's Internet speeds along |publisher=bgdailynews.com |date=July 7, 2007 |accessdate=August 10, 2011}}</ref> Noted technologist and Congressman [[Rick Boucher]] said of the project: "If it works in Kentucky, in such a rural state, I think it could provide wonders nationwide."<ref name=Louisville>[http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070609/BUSINESS/706090388]{{dead link|date=August 2011}}</ref>


Due in part to the largely public nature of the program, government sponsored programs such as "No Child Left Offline," targeted at ensuring Internet access to school children, and requirements in various bidding process. Proposals include requirements for integrating these new networks with those of local governments, ranging from providing proprietary services aimed at first-responders to providing wireless backbones to educational institutions.
Due in part to the largely public nature of the program, government sponsored programs such as "No Child Left Offline," targeted at ensuring Internet access to school children, and requirements in various bidding process. Proposals include requirements for integrating these new networks with those of local governments, ranging from providing proprietary services aimed at first-responders to providing wireless backbones to educational institutions.


Subdivided by region, some daughter projects include plans for major wireless rollouts. One such project, ConnectGRADD,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.connectgradd.net |title=Welcome to My ConnectGRADD|accessdate=August 2011}}</ref> focuses upon the largely rural [[Green River Area Development District]], consisting of [[Daviess County, Kentucky|Daviess]], [[Hancock County, Kentucky|Hancock]], [[Henderson County, Kentucky|Henderson]], [[McLean County, Kentucky|McLean]], [[Ohio County, Kentucky|Ohio]], [[Union County, Kentucky|Union]] and [[Webster County, Kentucky|Webster]] counties. Their [[fiscal court]]s intend to use considerable sums of coal severance and slightly smaller new debts<ref name=Daviess>[http://www.daviessky.org/index.asp?PageID=9032 daviessky.org]</ref> to ensure their residents have access to [[Wireless Internet service provider|wireless ISP]] service that meets the minimum 768kbit/s called for by the statewide program.<ref name=GovernorOwensboro>[http://www.kentucky.gov/Newsroom/governor/20070430owensboro.htm]{{dead link|date=August 2011}}</ref> The two relatively populous areas, [[Owensboro, Kentucky|Owensboro]] and [[Henderson, Kentucky|Henderson]], both have local municipally-owned wireless ISPs that largely met the goals of ConnectKentucky within and near their city limits prior to its conception. These ISPs both operate over unlicensed spectra, largely centered on [[Alvarion]]-branded pre-[[WiMAX]] equipment, and compete with cable and telecommunications providers for the urban marketplace. However, all but one of the four smaller counties were home to less than 16,000 people at the [[2000 United States Census|2000 Census]], and none had a population of over 23,000. These areas are largely underserved prior the ConnectGRADD rollout: Only 20% of households in Webster County, for instance, were subscribed to broadband Internet services, compared with a 32% state average in 2005.
Subdivided by region, some daughter projects include plans for major wireless rollouts. One such project, ConnectGRADD,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.connectgradd.net |title=Welcome to My ConnectGRADD|accessdate=August 2011}}</ref> focuses upon the largely rural [[Green River Area Development District]], consisting of [[Daviess County, Kentucky|Daviess]], [[Hancock County, Kentucky|Hancock]], [[Henderson County, Kentucky|Henderson]], [[McLean County, Kentucky|McLean]], [[Ohio County, Kentucky|Ohio]], [[Union County, Kentucky|Union]] and [[Webster County, Kentucky|Webster]] counties. Their [[fiscal court]]s intend to use considerable sums of coal severance and slightly smaller new debts<ref name=Daviess>[http://www.daviessky.org/index.asp?PageID=9032 daviessky.org]</ref> to ensure their residents have access to [[Wireless Internet service provider|wireless ISP]] service that meets the minimum 768kbit/s called for by the statewide program.<ref name=GovernorOwensboro>[http://www.kentucky.gov/Newsroom/governor/20070430owensboro.htm] {{wayback|url=http://www.kentucky.gov/Newsroom/governor/20070430owensboro.htm |date=20070927194928 }}</ref> The two relatively populous areas, [[Owensboro, Kentucky|Owensboro]] and [[Henderson, Kentucky|Henderson]], both have local municipally-owned wireless ISPs that largely met the goals of ConnectKentucky within and near their city limits prior to its conception. These ISPs both operate over unlicensed spectra, largely centered on [[Alvarion]]-branded pre-[[WiMAX]] equipment, and compete with cable and telecommunications providers for the urban marketplace. However, all but one of the four smaller counties were home to less than 16,000 people at the [[2000 United States Census|2000 Census]], and none had a population of over 23,000. These areas are largely underserved prior the ConnectGRADD rollout: Only 20% of households in Webster County, for instance, were subscribed to broadband Internet services, compared with a 32% state average in 2005.
<ref name=Webster>{{cite web |url=http://www.connectkentucky.org/NR/rdonlyres/BDFECAB0-7C1C-4B8B-93B8-1DAD6F3E615D/0/62_WEBSTERTECHNOLOGYSTATISTICS.pdf |title=Internet & Broadband Use in Kentucky - Webster County Results from the 2005 County Level Technology Assessment Study |publisher=connectkentucky.org |accessdate=September 4, 2011}}</ref> Only a trivial 15% of the households of Ohio County were being served,<ref name=Ohio>{{cite web|url=http://www.connectkentucky.org/NR/rdonlyres/DD23C66C-3160-4D17-9095-DD90CAD5059A/0/62_OHIOCOUNTYTECHNOLOGYSTATISTICS.pdf |title=Internet & Broadband Use in Kentucky Ohio County Results from the 2005 County Level Technology Assessment Study |publisher=connectkentucky.org |accessdate=September 4, 2011}}</ref> and even the heaviest adopters, Henderson County, were only subscribing to such services from 29% of homes.
<ref name=Webster>{{cite web |url=http://www.connectkentucky.org/NR/rdonlyres/BDFECAB0-7C1C-4B8B-93B8-1DAD6F3E615D/0/62_WEBSTERTECHNOLOGYSTATISTICS.pdf |title=Internet & Broadband Use in Kentucky - Webster County Results from the 2005 County Level Technology Assessment Study |publisher=connectkentucky.org |accessdate=September 4, 2011}}</ref> Only a trivial 15% of the households of Ohio County were being served,<ref name=Ohio>{{cite web|url=http://www.connectkentucky.org/NR/rdonlyres/DD23C66C-3160-4D17-9095-DD90CAD5059A/0/62_OHIOCOUNTYTECHNOLOGYSTATISTICS.pdf |title=Internet & Broadband Use in Kentucky Ohio County Results from the 2005 County Level Technology Assessment Study |publisher=connectkentucky.org |accessdate=September 4, 2011}}</ref> and even the heaviest adopters, Henderson County, were only subscribing to such services from 29% of homes.


Revision as of 10:12, 21 January 2016

ConnectKentucky is a partnership of private firms and the Commonwealth of Kentucky that aims to make broadband Internet access available throughout the state. Primarily funded through county, local, and federal grant programs, the 501(c)(3) organization's CEO, Brian Mefford, aims to make broadband connections of at least 768kbit/s accessible to "100 percent of Kentucky homes." [1] The organization is headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky, but has attracted attention from Washington lawmakers.[2] Noted technologist and Congressman Rick Boucher said of the project: "If it works in Kentucky, in such a rural state, I think it could provide wonders nationwide."[3]

Due in part to the largely public nature of the program, government sponsored programs such as "No Child Left Offline," targeted at ensuring Internet access to school children, and requirements in various bidding process. Proposals include requirements for integrating these new networks with those of local governments, ranging from providing proprietary services aimed at first-responders to providing wireless backbones to educational institutions.

Subdivided by region, some daughter projects include plans for major wireless rollouts. One such project, ConnectGRADD,[4] focuses upon the largely rural Green River Area Development District, consisting of Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union and Webster counties. Their fiscal courts intend to use considerable sums of coal severance and slightly smaller new debts[5] to ensure their residents have access to wireless ISP service that meets the minimum 768kbit/s called for by the statewide program.[6] The two relatively populous areas, Owensboro and Henderson, both have local municipally-owned wireless ISPs that largely met the goals of ConnectKentucky within and near their city limits prior to its conception. These ISPs both operate over unlicensed spectra, largely centered on Alvarion-branded pre-WiMAX equipment, and compete with cable and telecommunications providers for the urban marketplace. However, all but one of the four smaller counties were home to less than 16,000 people at the 2000 Census, and none had a population of over 23,000. These areas are largely underserved prior the ConnectGRADD rollout: Only 20% of households in Webster County, for instance, were subscribed to broadband Internet services, compared with a 32% state average in 2005. [7] Only a trivial 15% of the households of Ohio County were being served,[8] and even the heaviest adopters, Henderson County, were only subscribing to such services from 29% of homes.

ConnectKentucky, as well as its national offshoot Connected Nation, is heavily criticized by telecommunications policy experts for its model of research and mapping, lack of citizen involvement, and potential financial ties to AT&T and former Bell companies.[9][10]

References

  1. ^ [1] Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Region's Internet speeds along". bgdailynews.com. July 7, 2007. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  3. ^ [2][dead link]
  4. ^ "Welcome to My ConnectGRADD". Retrieved August 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. ^ daviessky.org
  6. ^ [3] Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Internet & Broadband Use in Kentucky - Webster County Results from the 2005 County Level Technology Assessment Study" (PDF). connectkentucky.org. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  8. ^ "Internet & Broadband Use in Kentucky Ohio County Results from the 2005 County Level Technology Assessment Study" (PDF). connectkentucky.org. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  9. ^ Brodsky, Art (January 9, 2008). "Connect Kentucky Provides Uncertain Model for Federal Legislation". Public Knowledge. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  10. ^ "Connected Nation's $134 Billion Fish Tale? - Editorial: Lets make sure we adopt the RIGHT national broadband policy | DSLReports.com, ISP Information". Dslreports.com. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
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