Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on June 11, 2013 at 12:17am

Eleanor,

 

I live next to a student who has no computer at home.  I gave his guardian the info about Microcycle.  She has not called.  What is the specific information about RCSD for WiFi?  The notes you provided are good, but how does one get a computer and link in for a student with no funding, so they can connect with the Internet, and have a computer?

Permalink Reply by Eleanor Coleman on June 11, 2013 at 6:46am

Very good question.  John Boutet provided the information about RCSD.  It doesn't provide for a computer in the home, just the Internet access.  They're inching their way toward access.  I'll keep you posted.  Thanks for reaching out.

Permalink Reply by John Boutet on June 11, 2013 at 5:35pm

Hi Mark,

We have been talking with Ed Omiccioli in the RCSD IT department.  They spent a lot of time looking at ways to help students and parents connect with their school.  They had looked at Wi-Fi but are of course needing to do this citywide.  They ended up choosing a subsidized program available to poor Districts such as ours.  This "Connect to Compete" program is offered through Time Warner and is looking like it is serving the District's need.   It costs a qualifying family $9.95/mo for the cable internet service.   They also make available for purchase low cost refurbished computers.

I was just Googling "Connect to Compete" and found one post at http://stopthecap.com/tag/broadband-service/page/20/ from November 2011 that says:

The cable industry is expanding so-called “lifeline Internet service” to more households in an effort to combat what a government agency calls “a persistent digital divide.”

Next spring, Time Warner Cable, Cox, and Charter Communications will launch low-speed Internet service for $9.95 a month for two years.  The offers will echo Comcast’s Internet Essentials, which launched earlier this year as part of a deal with the government to win approval of the cable company’s merger with NBC-Universal.

The Federal Communications Commission calls the effort “Connect to Compete,” and suggests the public-private initiative will help rural Americans and low-income minorities get affordable Internet access. A study by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration found just 55% of black households and 57% of Hispanics currently subscribe to broadband.  More than 72% of Caucasian households and more than 81% of Asian homes use broadband by comparison.  The rural southern states of Mississippi (52%), Arkansas (52%) and Alabama (56%) have the lowest broadband penetration rates in the country.  In contrast, more than 80% of Utah residents have broadband in their homes.

“In this difficult economy, we need everyone to be working together on solutions,” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said. “Broadband is a key to economic and educational opportunity and these kinds of commitments to close the digital divide are powerful.”

But not every poverty-stricken American will qualify for the discount programs.

Cable operators are following Comcast’s lead, restricting access to families with at least one school age child enrolled in the free school lunch program.  Customers must not have existing broadband service during the last 90 days and customers with past due balances cannot sign up.  Don’t have children or fell behind on your cable bill?  No discount Internet for you.

Pilot programs will be launched by each operator in around a dozen cities total starting next spring, with plans to roll programs out nationally by the start of the 2012 school year.  Broadband speeds, usage limits, and other fees were not disclosed.  Comcast’s Internet Essentials operates at 1.5Mbps with upload speeds up to 384kbps.

Comcast’s program sells a netbook computer loaded with Windows 7 Starter Edition for around $150.  The $250 computers expected to be provided by Microsoft will include Windows 7 Home Premium operating system and Microsoft Office.  An additional vendor will sell refurbished computers to interested program participants for around $150.

The program will primarily reach urban residents who cannot afford current Internet service plans that are sold for $40-45 a month.  Rural residents are unlikely to benefit much because most cable operators do not deliver service in rural areas.

CenturyLink announced its own version of discounted DSL Internet in October to sell for $9.95 a month, but with numerous “gotcha” fees and surcharges.

One group unlikely to take advantage of the program: older householders, particularly those ages 65 and older, where just 45% have broadband at home.  The biggest reason the rest don’t?  They don’t believe they need the Internet at any cost.

I'm not sure if the "1.5Mbps with upload speeds up to 384kbps" applies to the Time Warner service here.  The Wi-Fi system we had been looking at with Frontier was 1Mbps for download or upload speeds.  I'll have to look at the local service specs when I get a chance.

Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on June 14, 2013 at 12:58am

This is somewhat good information, about getting home computers for school children, but need to know how.  Call Time Warner?  Obviously, if they don't have a computer, they need to know who to contact.  They will never see this.  I want to be able to give my neighbor information on what to do.  And how are we able to communicate this to households in our area as obviously they are not getting the info from the school, (perhaps?)  Nor from this website.

Thanks.