COMPLETE LIST OF FEATURED STORIES...

Issue 2 Illinois Broadband Technology News & Updates July 15, 2008
A compendium of broadband-technology news and views.

Birmingham not content with second in the digital age
With Birmingham at the helm of the new digital revolution, the city council's deputy leader Paul Tilsley explores how the area is developing its reputation as one of the world's leading centres for digital technologies that will benefit everyone who lives, works and visits here.

For poor, a gaping digital divide
Local groups try to offer training, access

$199 computer could crack 'digital divide'
Price reflects Wal-Mart's purchasing power and manufacturer's use of open-source software

Public Act 095-0684
This Act may be cited as the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act

Ten Tips for Donating a Computer -- How to donate your used equipment
As more companies, organizations, and individuals find reasons to upgrade their computers, the problem of how to safely discard used equipment continues to amplify.

Japan's Warp-Speed Ride to Internet Future
Broadband service here is eight to 30 times as fast as in the United States -- and considerably cheaper. Japan has the world's fastest Internet connections, delivering more data at a lower cost than anywhere else, recent studies show.

City disconnecting from Wi-Fi vision
Chicago is curtailing its digital dreams, deciding to back away from municipal Wi-Fi service after failing to reach agreement with either of two companies that sought to build a wireless Internet network in the city.

Digital Divide is Wrong Battle Cry
CHICAGO – When will people realize that the network infrastructure of the U.S. is not a drum for socialism but a much more critical instrument to strategically position and sustain the country in the world economy?

States Must Become More Conscious of Connectivity
CHICAGO – You must have a solid infrastructure on which to build a 21st century economy. Having a good infrastructure has always been important to the economic growth of a municipality and a state.

Intel, '$100 laptop' project make peace
BOSTON - The nonprofit that aims to seed the developing world with inexpensive laptop computers for schoolchildren has made peace with Intel Corp., the project's most powerful rival.

High-Speed Internet Hits Home... African-Americans' usage is up sharply since '05, study says
Adoption of high-speed Internet at home has almost tripled over the last two years among African-American users...

Citywide digital campaign is urged
Chicago should undertake a communitywide campaign to become the nation's most advanced digital city, a mayor's advisory committee report urged Friday.

Mayor Daley to soon announce an agreement to address the digital divide
Daley Urges Continued Cooperation to Keep City Moving Forward

Three companies file to become Chicago’s Wi-Fi Provider for 10 years –
Big Impact on Schools, Libraries and Communities
January 3, 2007 Yesterday at 4pm it was announced that three companies filed by the deadline to become the City of Chicago's Community Wireless Broadband Network...

City of Chicago to Release Four-Year Technology Plan, Moving to Linux
CHICAGO – The City of Chicago in Jan. 2007 plans to release a four-year technology strategy detailing its goals through 2010, MidwestBusiness.com has learned.

$4.5 million in technology grants to help Illinois bridge the digital divide!
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will announce the release of more than $4.5 million in technology grants - including more than $1.1 million to bridge the digital divide in East Central Illinois.

Now there's a home for your old PC
With the holiday season approaching, one growing by-product of the technological age will no doubt pose a problem to many: after unwrapping a new computer or other cool electronic gadget, what do you do with the old one?

Chicago spreads welcome mat for citywide Wi-Fi
Sun-Times Columnist As the mayor prepared to announce his pitch for Washington Park as the setting for the 2016 Olympic opening ceremonies, Chicago's Department of Business and Information Services less dramatically released its request for proposals to install a citywide broadband wireless Internet network.

Study: Racial Digital Divide Lingers Among US Schoolchildren
White U.S. schoolchildren are far more likely to use the Internet than are Hispanic and black kids, new research from the National Center for Education Statistics suggests. Two of every three white students -- 67 percent -- use the Internet, but less than half of black and Hispanic students go online, according to the data gathered in 2003.

Why Broadband matters for kids - The Children's
The Children's Partnership released this week an Issue Brief on Broadband and Youth entitled, Helping Our Children Succeed: What's Broadband Got to do With It?

AT&T reaches out to low-income homes
Grant program offers Internet, computers to 50,000 families
June 15, 2006
Chicago will be among the first cities in the country to be part of a $100 million grant providing low-income residents with computers and Internet access in their homes.

Broadband Gains in Middle Class
The Washington Times
May 29, 2006
NEW YORK (AP) -- Middle- and working-class Americans signed up for high-speed Internet access in record numbers in the past year, apparently lured by a price war among phone companies.

City-wide Wi-Fi closer than you think
by Ted Pincus
Imagine yourself sitting with your laptop computer fully hooked up to the Web through high-speed broadband on the lawn in Grant Park or in the stands at Soldier Field or in your backyard in Rogers Park or in the back of an RV or riding a CTA bus to work.

Chicago Gears Up for Wireless Broadband
by DAVE CARPENTER | AP Business Writer
CHICAGO, IL., Feb 17
The nationwide rush to go wireless appears poised to extend to its biggest city yet. Chicago is launching an effort to offer wireless broadband, city officials said Friday, jumping on the Wi-Fi bandwagon as similar initiatives proceed in Philadelphia, San Francisco and smaller cities.

Recycling: Tech Trash, E-Waste: By Any Name, It's an Issue
Brad Stone | © 2005 Newsweek, Inc.
Dec. 12, 2005 issue - This holiday season, American consumers will buy millions of videogame consoles, MP3 players, digital cameras and computers...

World is caught between old skills and high-tech needs
Unfortunate convergence of economic factors points to a shortfall in trained employees
By Edward E. Gordon, author of "The 2010 Meltdown: Solving the Impending Jobs Crisis"
Published December 11, 2005

MIT Is Crafting Cheap -- But Invaluable -- Laptops
By David A. Fahrenthold
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 15
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/ AR2005111501546.html?referrer=emailarticle

Governor Blagojevich creates Broadband Deployment Council...
SPRINGFIELD – Under Executive Order, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced the creation of the Broadband Deployment Council to improve high-speed Internet access for all Illinois residents.

Plugging into the future
Sen. Hillary Clinton announced a $1 billion initiative to bring broadband Internet access to low income families.

Broadband lag could hurt the U.S.
Several Asian, European nations have greater share of people with access; some experts see threat.

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Workforce Solutions: Your Needs Matter

HB 3650 Integrated Telecom and Digital Literacy Act
Layton Olson

Is a PC landfill tax inevitable?
By Declan McCullagh

Digital Opportunity
Andrew Vass

"What do I want to do with the rest of my life?"
The Digital Divide Plan and You
Andy Vass

The Art of Negotiation
A story

Bridging the Technology Divide Unleashing Broadband in Affordable Housing
by James Sison, Eureka-Waitt Fellow

“Broadband Benefit: Planning for Technology in Affordable Housing”
Multifamily Executive August 2002
by James Sison, Eureka-Waitt Fellow

Computers For Youth: Focusing Digital Divide Efforts On The Home
by Elisabeth Stock, Computers For Youth

Digital Divide Basics Fact Sheet
Digital Divide Network Staff, Benton Foundation

Content and the Digital Divide: What Do People Want?
Kevin Taglang
Benton Foundation

Small Business Slowly Adjusts to an Expensive and Complex New Economy
Kade Twist
Benton Foundation

Nation at Risk: Why isn't anyone listening?
An editorial

An article on Andy Vass
by Sara Loeb