April 5-6 Broadband Forum to determine our tech future

By Tina Nerat

On April 5 and 6, the three R?s ? Redwood Coast Rural Action (RCRA), Redwood Region Economic Development Commission (RREDC), and Redwood Technology Consortium (RTC) - are hosting Broadband Forum II. The first forum held last May was part of Tech Expo 2005 and was attended by 75 community leaders from all areas of the North Coast. This year?s forum promises to be even better, having been expanded to two days.

Wired (or Wireless) Public Buildings

I will digress for bit to write about the planning process for the forum because it?s been a challenge to find a ?wired/wireless? venue large enough for this event. The previous three Tech Expos required RTC to ?wire up? Redwood Acres (a big THANK YOU to College of the Redwoods and Cox Communications for doing this monumental task every year). If public buildings and event venues are an indicator of how ?connected? our communities are, we?re in sad shape.

I first looked online for venues at the HSU Meeting Facility web site. Facility features such as VHS, DVD, TV, kitchen, parking, white board, parking, etc. were noted, but no indications were given about broadband, WiFi, or Internet access, with one exception ? the Wharfinger says it has Internet access available. However, the Warfinger access is dial-up, not generally considered usable in this day and age. Calls to Eureka Elks Club, Adorni Center, Redwood Acres, and Arcata Community Center netted no Internet connectivity. With DSL and cable modem service readily available and affordable in Eureka and Arcata, there is no excuse for buildings that are not wired for Internet access and WiFi.

Eureka was the first choice for the Forum due to its central location, but with no broadband-enabled venues, it?s not an option. River Lodge in Fortuna is the chosen venue for the April 5th session because it has wireless Internet service, though River Lodge staff say their wireless Internet service sometimes doesn?t work (sounds like a fix or support is in order).

Broadband Forum II

Speakers on April 5th will be talking about redundant fiber study, the effects of telecommunications on the economy and quality of life, wireless case studies, and planning for wireless service deployment. April 6th will be morning only and oriented to wireless planning for two groups: 1) rural communities unserved by broadband who want to build a plan for wireless (eg Shelter Cove, Orick, Hoopa, Klamath, Orleans), and 2) cities already served by broadband who are interested in community broadband, such as a downtown WiFi hot zone. The Thursday session is NOT oriented to those who want to set up a wireless access point for personal home or business use. The RTC 2006 scholarship will be awarded at the Forum to a graduating high school senior who will be attending HSU or CR.

Why is this Forum Important?

High-speed Internet connectivity (broadband) is emerging as an important element in economic and community development. Access to broadband affects a wide spectrum of community interests such as education, government, business, healthcare and the arts. Rural communities are at a competitive disadvantage if they rely solely upon free market influences and private sector delivery options.

Detailed information on the Forum is at www.rredc.com or www.redwoodtech.org/hottopics. A reservation is required since space is limited and lunch will be served. Interested parties may access the invitation to sign-up online.

The RTC is a good place to network with others who are interested in technology and business. Meetings are free and open to the public. The April 13 meeting will be at 5:30 in the Sequoia Room at the Humboldt County Office of Education, 901 Myrtle Avenue, Eureka. The guest speaker will be Jacqueline Debets from County of Humboldt Economic Development Division. The talk will be on economic development and broadband.

Tina Nerat is a board member of the Redwood Technology Consortium and is owner of NERATech, a technology consulting business. She can be contacted at tnerat@cox.net.