Partnership to Bring Wireless Broadband to Rural Appalachia (Is this possible in our area?)

A new partnership formed by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) http://www.arc.gov/ in Washington, D.C. with the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and Carnegie Mellon University will soon be bringing wireless broadband applications to rural Appalachian communities.

Glenville, W.Va., in conjunction with Glenville State College, is the first site to receive broadband service to be followed by another site in southwest Pennsylvania. ARC and the Benedum Foundation are providing funding for the project. Carnegie Mellon is providing technical training and support through its Center for Appalachian Network Access.

ARC federal co-chair Anne Pope affirmed the importance of this new initiative. "This partnership shows regional cooperation at its best as universities, foundations and agencies such as ARC work together to address the development needs of the region," she said. "I applaud the Benedum Foundation and Carnegie Mellon University for joining us to help provide access to high-speed broadband for enterprises in rural Appalachia. This access is critical to their remaining competitive in a national and global economy that is increasingly utilizing the Internet to do business."

http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=2003.06.30-57999