[1st-mile-nm] Almost 8, 000 in Rural NM to Get High-Speed Internet Access

Fri Jul 27 07:46:12 PDT 2012

Kevin, thank you for the link but I think you may be mistaken.

I may be reading it wrong (and this is getting into the hair-splitting
realm) but I believe this is the relevant explanation - page 2 of the
Executive Summary of the order (
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-310692A1.pdf ):

--------------------
Phase I.  To spur immediate broadband buildout, we will provide additional
funding
for price cap carriers to extend robust, scalable broadband to hundreds of
thousands of unserved
Americans beginning in early 2012.  To enable this deployment, all existing
legacy high-cost
support to price cap carriers will be frozen, and an additional $300
million in CAF funding will
be made available.  Frozen support will be immediately subject to the goal
of achieving universal
availability of voice and broadband, and subject to obligations to build
and operate broadbandcapable networks in areas unserved by an unsubsidized
competitor over time.  Any carrier
electing to receive the additional support will be required to deploy
broadband and offer service
that satisfies our new public interest obligations to an unserved location
for every $775 in
incremental support.  *Specifically, carriers that elect to receive this
additional support must *
*provide broadband with actual speeds of at least 4 Mbps downstream and 1
Mbps upstream,*
*with latency suitable for real-time applications and services such as
VoIP, and with monthly usage *
*capacity reasonably comparable to that of residential terrestrial fixed
broadband offerings in *
*urban areas.*  In addition, to ensure fairness for consumers across the
country who pay into USF,
we reduce existing support levels in any areas where a price cap company
charges artificially low
end-user voice rates.
-------------------

I am heartened to see that it requires _actual_ speeds but I am in strong
agreement with John Brown that this entire program reflects the lobbying
power of a few corporations rather than what is best for the nation or
unserved communities.

Christopher Mitchell
Director, Telecommunications as Commons Initiative
Institute for Local Self-Reliance

http://www.muninetworks.org
@communitynets
612-276-3456 x209

On Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 9:31 AM, Cummins, Kevin (Tom Udall) <
Kevin_Cummins at tomudall.senate.gov> wrote:

>  Christopher, Tom,****
>
> ** **
>
> My understanding is that the FCC requirement is download/upload speeds of
> 3Mbps/768kbps.  There’s more information available through the FCC website
> and this map, http://www.fcc.gov/maps/connect-america-fund-caf-phase-i .**
> **
>
> ** **
>
> Regards,****
>
> ** **
>
> Kevin****
>
> ** **
>
> Kevin Cummins****
>
> Office of Sen. Tom Udall****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* 1st-mile-nm-bounces at mailman.dcn.org [mailto:
> 1st-mile-nm-bounces at mailman.dcn.org] *On Behalf Of *Christopher Mitchell
> *Sent:* Friday, July 27, 2012 8:57 AM
> *To:* Tom Johnson
> *Cc:* Richard Lowenberg; 1st-Mile-NM
> *Subject:* Re: [1st-mile-nm] Almost 8, 000 in Rural NM to Get High-Speed
> Internet Access****
>
> ** **
>
> I believe they have to do 4 down, 1 up.  But who knows if that means they
> just have to advertise that it is available.  The frustration from me is
> simply that we are pouring federal money into obsolete technology delivered
> by corporations that have proven they cannot be trusted and have a poor
> track record of serving these communities.****
>
>
> Christopher Mitchell
> Director, Telecommunications as Commons Initiative
> Institute for Local Self-Reliance****
>
>
> http://www.muninetworks.org****
>
> @communitynets****
>
> 612-276-3456 x209****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 10:52 PM, Tom Johnson <tom at jtjohnson.com> wrote:**
> **
>
> And the definition of "high-speed internet" is ........
>
> -tj****
>
> On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 6:37 PM, Richard Lowenberg <
> lowenberg at designnine.com> wrote:****
>
>   ** **
>
> *From:* Tom Udall Press Office
> *Sent:* Thursday, July 26, 2012 6:11 PM
> *To:* Tom Udall Press Office
> *Subject:* Udall: Almost 8,000 in Rural NM to Get High-Speed Internet
> Access****
>
>  ****
>
>  ****
>
> ****
>
>  ****
>
> *For Immediate Release*****
>
> *July 26, 2012*****
>
>  ****
>
>  ****
>
> *Udall: Almost 8,000 in Rural NM to Get High-Speed Internet Access*****
>
>  ****
>
>  ****
>
> *WASHINGTON – *Today, *U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM)* announced that
> almost 8,000 rural New Mexico residents will gain high-speed internet
> access within the next three years as a part of the first phase of the
> Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) “Connect America Fund.” Udall is
> a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees
> telecommunications issues.  ****
>
>  ****
>
> Broadband and telecommunications companies CenturyLink and Windstream will
> receive $2.3 million to build broadband infrastructure for New Mexico homes
> and businesses that currently lack high-speed internet access, connecting
> them to the $8 trillion global internet economy. ****
>
>  ****
>
> “Broadband is a platform for economic growth,” said Udall. “High-speed
> internet should be available to all, so that everyone in New Mexico can
> take advantage of new technologies to grow their businesses and improve
> access to healthcare and education.” ****
>
>  ****
>
> Currently, nearly 47 percent of New Mexico’s rural population, or
> approximately 220,000 people, lack access to high speed internet.****
>
>  ****
>
> In its first phase, the “Connect America Fund” will implement projects to
> expand the broadband infrastructure to rural areas in 37 states, which will
> provide nearly 400,000 homes and business with high-speed internet access.
> ****
>
>  ****
>
> The “Connect America Fund” aims to connect all 19 million unserved rural
> Americans by 2020. ****
>
>  ****
>
> ######****
>
>  ****
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------****
>
> Richard Lowenberg
> P. O. Box 8001,  Santa Fe, NM  87504
> 505-989-9110 off.; 505-603-5200 cell****
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
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>
>
>
>
> -- ****
>
> ==========================================
> J. T. Johnson
> Institute for Analytic Journalism   --   Santa Fe, NM USA
> 505.577.6482(c)                                    505.473.9646(h)
> Twitter: jtjohnson****
>
> http://www.jtjohnson.com                  tom at jtjohnson.com
> ==========================================****
>
>
>
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