Project Expected to Connect Households and Businesses to Broadband in Buncombe County
Buncombe County and the French Broad Electric Membership Cooperative will benefit from this supplementing round of the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) program funds.
“This pandemic is shining a light on the need for better high speed internet access in rural communities. These projects will the make sure the internet can connect people to the education, health care and jobs they need.”
Comparison broadband speeds per student of major WNC school districts
Classrooms no longer have chalk boards. Children do have technology everywhere. Technology requires bandwidth. Digital tools are important for tech-infused educational growth. Adequate high-speed internet is needed for our schools future.
The homework gap is personified when there is digital inequality.
Broadband Speeds / Student
To enable digital learning in every classroom every day, the FCC recommends 1Mbps per student.
How do our bigger K-12 compare?
Connect K-12 has some current, free data for review:
Broadband provides not only the ability to work from home; but also the ability to engage with professional development. In Philip’s interview he talks about how his employer, A-B Tech ‘thought out-of-the-box’ for the COVID environment; leveraging high-speed internet for continued operations with home-office setup, hotspots, and more.
During Philip Cooper’s employment at our local community college, Philip became a ‘Change Agent’ for his work in the human resource development area. Carrying that further, Philip opened his own consultancy, ‘Change Agent Cooper LLC’ to help in gaps and disparities.
Philips talks about how broadband and social media help to communicate upcoming trainings, job fairs, and information to friends. Inspire or retire is his hashtag to help personal and professional development. He defines social media with his personal calling and careers.
Philip Cooper talks to Marc Czarnecki about how he uses ‘Change Agent’ online
‘Change Agent’ Philip Cooper calls himself a Xennial; a mix between millennial and a GenX. How does a Xennial use broadband? This series discusses topics around Philip Cooper, a native Western North Carolinian from Rutherford County and broadband.
Philip talks about Maslow’s hierarchy of shelter and and food. How does digital inclusion and digital equity fit here? More focused, what about our criminal justice system and the prisoner re-entry program of a community workforce development plan.
A Gateway computer was Philips introduction to technology as a Xennial. He is a socialite with computers.
Broadband is high speed internet that connects you to the world and the opportunities that it beholds. Economic opportunities are changing as a result of broadband.
This Wednesday, Marc Czarnecki will hold a Livestream event with the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s WNC Career Expo. It’s virtual, so you need internet access. Plan your internet access!
WNC CAREER EXPO
REGIONAL VIRTUAL JOB FAIR
At 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 14 – the Experienced Workforce Initiatives very own Web Tech Czar – Marc Czarnecki is inviting you to join his Google Livestream event on broadband and how to leverage it for your employment.
Buncombe County stories of the lack of reliable internet:
Pamela Smith’s household – not enough bandwidth for her four high-school-age daughters
Amanda Anderson’s household – satellite internet that proved insufficient for online learning for sons age 11 and 14
Barry Pace, director of technology for Buncombe County Schools, said teachers are helping families who have ongoing access issues by giving students hands-on learning kits, thumb drives loaded with assignments and alternative assignments as needed.
All public school students in Buncombe County receive an iPad or a Windows laptop, depending on their grade level, so the key issue is proximity to reliable internet.
But for students who are not in range of a cell tower or whose families can’t afford home internet, there is no quick fix.
Is broadband on your mind with the upcoming Buncombe elections?
Who mentions broadband in their campaign?
US Senate
Cal Cunningham | Priorities: Lower-cost, accessible healthcare; equitable economy + living wage; investing in rural broadband; raising teacher pay; spreading solar energy; protecting Roe v. Wade; common-sense gun reform; expanding voting rights + more
Thom Thillis (incumbent) | Priorities: Helped pass the Farm Bill; increase broadband access for rural communities; expand + maintain export markets for agricultural products; “right-sizing” solar tariffs; help with national park maintenance; secure borders and use merit-based immigration system; roll back wasteful Obama-era regulations; combat the opioid crisis
NC Commissioner of Agriculture
Jenna Wadsworth | Priorities: Farmland preservation; building resiliency into farm plans to address climate change; promoting hemp and cannabis legalization; increasing opportunities for farmers + rural communities; food science research; rural broadband access + more
Buncombe County Commission District 1
Terri Wells (D) | Priorities: Improving access to high-quality broadband internet; building more greenways + recreational assets; improving local education and increasing access; mitigating the effects of climate change; using tax dollars raised from tourism to improve the lives of residents. DYK: Terri is a ninth generation farmer in Sandy Mush. She serves on the Buncombe County Agricultural Advisory Board and was a creator of the Farm Heritage Trail.
City of Asheville IT staff is investigating possibilities to provide free broadband in Asheville and Buncombe County.
Free broadband internet would be available in public spots throughout Buncombe County under a proposal by the local government’s information technology department.
“Information Technology staff continue to work with internet providers to explore opportunities for internet connectivity throughout the County (Buncombe Broadband Workgroup) to help those who do not currently have access to high speed internet”
