[1st-mile-nm] Colorado (Broadband) Innovation Initiative

[Richard Lowenberg]

	A brief response to Andrew's posting.
Agreed.   Statewide broadband 'innovation' initiatives, such as Colorado's
or any other, should be as inclusive of interests and participation as
possible.   There are many ways to facilitate and manage such processes to
be highly effective, with results that will have broadly representing
benefits.   Such efforts are about building vital networked societies, not
just technical infrastructure.
	In looking at announcements of the CO initiative, I find that
there are 32 named 'members', representing telecom. and tech. industries,
university research, and local government and community interests.   One
of the 'members', who I've been in contact with, is Bernie Zurbriggen,
mayor of Frisco, broadband activist and member of the CO Rural Telecom.
Program, in the '90s.
	Of course they can do better.   'Community champions' are needed.
Their working process is just beginning, and I'll try to keep this list
posted on progress.
Richard


On Mon, 10 Dec 2007, Andrew Cohill wrote:

> > Gov. Bill Ritter today launched a comprehensive high-tech
> > initiative that
> > will consolidate and reform state government's fractured Information
> > Technology operations and establish the state's first Innovation
> > Council
> > to spur advances in Colorado's technology sector.
> >
>
> The Governor's Innovation Council seems to lack any community or
> regional representation, and most members seem to represent incumbent
> providers.  Certainly they should be involved (the incumbents), but
> without community representation, some "innovative" public/private
> partnership opportunities are likely to be missed.
>
> Community broadband is fundamentally a different beast from
> traditional networks.  Different equipment is needed, different
> architectures are needed, and different business models are needed.
>
> Andrew
>
> -------------------------------------------------
> Andrew Michael Cohill, Ph.D.
> President
> Design Nine, Inc.