The Eastern Sierra Connect project is:
Evaluating existing broadband (i.e., internet) infrastructure and potential future structure through a demand aggregation project in the Mono, Inyo and Eastern Kern counties.
broadband use depends on more than infrastructure availability. Our broadband
project model identifies five focus areas: access to broadband; applications that need broadband; affordability of broadband; accessibility by people with special needs; and assistance needed (training, hardware, etc.) to
effectively use broadband.
Not the Digital 395 stimulus award, but a separate demand project aimed at encouraging existing and potential providers to build local broadband to unserved and underserved communities in the Eastern Sierra region.
Eastern Sierra Connect helps identify the unserved and underserved communities that
need broadband connectivity and what broadband technologies
might be appropriate and affordable to residents and businesses. The final
report provides a way to inform and educate the Eastern Sierra Connect region
regarding requirements and benefits of broadband. Results of the project will
be offered as supporting evidence of growth opportunities for existing and
potential regional providers. Those providers may choose to utilize the Digital 395 backbone once it is built. More information about the Digital 395 project including the proposal and budget can be found at the NTIA website.
broadband availability in rural areas such as the Eastern Sierra is typically
insufficient or nonexistent.
lack of providers/service, lack of adequate bandwidth/speed, and excessive
costs to meet the needs is described as the digital
divide. Providing the
broadband infrastructure necessary for adequate availability over vast,
sparsely populated service areas that are environmentally and geographically
challenging does not appear a good fit with the national investment models of
groups, surveys and community meetings with different sectors and demographic
groups to determine needs and barriers of local residents.
The public outreach
portion of the program will begin in March and end in June.
existing infrastructure and identify gaps in service within the three-county
region, by identifying and consolidating existing data from state and local
The information will be used to develop alternatives, and ultimately a
preferred alternative for providing broadband service to the region. This phase
will include working with existing broadband providers to verify information
and discuss the feasibility of the alternative scenarios. The final report and suggested
infrastructure scenarios are scheduled for release in September, 2011.
Funded by the California Emerging Technology Fund