Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Collaboration Technology and Engaging the Campus symposium at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. The event's focus was on bridging the digital divide and broadening broadband communication to improve education and business competition in a global marketplace.
Many times, the phrase "from town to gown" was used to describe the cooperation between society and educational institutions. It struck me that the needs for broadband networks is essentially the same for municipalities, businesses, schools, hospitals and any other entity that might come to mind. Broadband networks enhance those communities, period.
For example, OneCommunity and CWRU launched a new wireless network on the campus, which also encompasses the surrounding community. Such a network enhances both the university and its surrounding neighborhood by providing Internet access to residents and fostering communal interaction between towners and gowners. Similar networks -- regardless of the technology used -- help draw interest to the area and bolster the quality of life in a community.
The relationship would be the same if the network were municipal-based. In simple terms, such a network makes the people happy by supporting applications that students and residents enjoy and need. The same would logically be true with other communities (such as businesses and hospitals mentioned above).
What the discussions at the Collaboration Technology symposium suggest is that collaboration between all interested parties -- and leadership among those interested parties -- is essential to the proliferation of broadband networks. If everyone wants improved video, voice and data services over IP, as we assume they do, then everyone should get involved with the processes that bring those networks to bear.
It may sound like a grassroots proposal, and maybe it should be. Let the people speak, and let them be heard. Getting people more involved in the deployment of broadband networks would help drive demand to push these networks to all corners of the United States, which in turn would improve our ability to compete in the global marketplace.
How do we encourage more involvement from the communities that broadband networks serve? Where are the leaders to promote better connectivity?
Stop, Collaborate and Listen
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May 13th, 2008
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