Broadband
Remembering Greg Palser
9/12/1952-7/12/2021 By Ed Parker Greg Palser was a smart entrepreneur who pioneered the way to use public fiber-optic cable to expand broadband services to rural Oregon communities. He started an internet access company in Newport Oregon in the early 1990s. He understood the limitations of dial-up internet access and the…
Read MoreMeet the NWTA Northwest Telecommunications Association
The NWTA (Northwest Telecommunications Association) is an industry association created by small competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) in Oregon with the intent to serve CLECs in Oregon, Washing and Idaho. It was formed in 2010 as a 501(c)(6). The NWTA telecommunication provider members deliver service over wireless, copper, coaxial and…
Read MoreSOREDI Spotlight on Innovative Internet
By Abigail SkeltonProject Managersoredi.org In late 2019, SOREDI (Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc.) and numerous partner agencies participated in the creation of a robust and updated regional strategy for the benefit of all Southern Oregon. One of the tactics outlined in this One Rogue Valley Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy…
Read MoreOur Digital Imperative
By Rey RamseyFounder and CEOcentri-tech.com In this Digital Age, Americans must decide whether we want an economically inclusive society where all people have the essential assets to sustain and advance themselves, or the status quo, that allows so many to fall outside of the economic mainstream. In an information-driven society,…
Read MoreIs Rural Electrification the Model for Rural Broadband?
As a nation, we can and should build fiber to every rural home, farm and business. A New Covenant. By Jonathan ChambersConexonconexon.us It has become fashionable of late to reference the rural electrification movement of the 1930s and 1940s as a template for closing the digital divide in rural America.…
Read MoreConexon releases Interactive Map to showcase Areas that are unserved defined by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act
We have created a state map, county by county, displaying unserved and underserved as well as areas where there has been CAF and RDOF funds, and the cost of building fiber to every unserved home in the state. We’ve also estimated the amount of funding that will be allocated to…
Read MoreThe Magick Net Story
By Harold Millerharold.p@miller.org In September 1995, there were several of us at Rogue Community College who were actively involved in Bulletin Boards. You had to pay long distance charges back then to dial into a server, even if it was in the next county. Together we formed the Josephine County…
Read MoreThe Open Door Networks Story
By Alan Oppenheimer I left Apple in late 1994 to move to Ashland and start an Internet provider (ISP). I had worked on dial-up networking at Apple, and the Internet was just starting, so a dial-up Internet company for Macs seemed like a good idea. I started Open Door Networks here at the…
Read MoreBuilding Broadband Action Teams in Rural Communities
Broadband is a foundational tool for rural communities to ensure their residents are able to participate in economic and workforce opportunities, telehealth, distance learning, and to help overcome social isolation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rural communities have been rapidly challenged to rapidly connect their residents with broadband services. While programs…
Read MoreConnecting Oregon
By Chris Tamarin The Oregon Connections Telecommunications conference is in its twenty-fifth year. It is a conference that was ahead of its time in recognizing the essential nature of state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure to Oregon. Over this span of time, the internet has emerged as the global platform for communication, business,…
Read MoreWhat is Broadband?
Broadband is a general term used to represent a wide range of telecommunications technologies and services, which utilize a faster data transmission rate than that available over the standard voice grade telephone line, which is 56 Kbps and usually less. Broadband is also widely referred to as “high-speed” Internet access…
Read MoreBroadband in Oregon : A Report of the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council
The Oregon Broadband Advisory Council publishes a report on the state of Broadband in Oregon every two years. This is the executive summary from the 180 page report (link at end) published at the end of 2020. This is the sixth report of the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council (OBAC) to…
Read More