Appalachia

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Appalachias Information Age Appalachia

• Harry L. Roesch
• Senior Telecommunication Advisor
• RTC Conference
• Springfield, Illinois
• October 2007

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The ARC has approved in excess of 300 million in
support of telecommunications projects since 1972
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(No Transcript)
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Appalachian States
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Appalachian Region

• 13 states
• 410 counties
• 200,741 sq. miles
• 23 million people
• 72 local development
• districts

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Facts and issues about the Region

• In 2002, 42 of the ARC population were
  classified as being rural compared to 20 for
  the nation
• In FY 2007 78 /410 counties were classified as
  being Distressed based on ARC criteria.
• DSL or cable modem access from a cable TV service
  provider is generally the only affordable
  broadband services in Appalachia.

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1972 1985 History

• ARC invested millions of dollars in satellite
  down link and microwave equipment, early
  generation tapping equipment, and nascent
  network development UK was the up-link site for
  all educational programming
• ARC underwrote the development of program
  content, and facilitated simultaneous
  educational programming provided throughout the
  region

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1985 - 1990

• Throughout the 1980s the ARC continued to
  support the development / transmission of
  expanded educational curriculum materials using
  microwave technologies
• Numerous small educational networks began to be
  developed and TVA was early partner in project
  development and project management
• Many networks initially used T1 lines to
  facilitate connectivity
• 10s of Millions of dollars were invested

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1991 Knoxville Conference

• This jointly funded conference co-sponsored by
  the TVA, telecommunication service providers,
  universities, and others attracted over 350
  people the conference.

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Post the conference the ARC reserved 265,000
to fund small Multi-County Strategic
Telecommunications Plans throughout the Region.

• 1992 1993
• 10 strategic telecommunications planning projects
  were funded NY, Ohio, PA, MD, VA, SC, NC, WV
  often more than one in a state

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1992 1994 Once the planning programs were
completed, numerous small networks were funded by
the ARC - with NY funding 14 educational
networks based on the planning effortsthat were
underwritten
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ARCs First Telecommunications Regional
Initiative Program1995 - 1998

• Over 130 projects were funded over the 4 year
  period of time totaling over 12,000,000
• 5 new state region-wide strategic
  telecommunications plans were approved AL, Pa,
  KY, TN, NC
• and numerous other special demonstrations
  projects in education, telemedicine, business,
  and government were approved

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1999 - 2007

• More strategic telecommunications planning
  projects were funded - GA, KY, AL
• Demand Aggregation projects were funded - NC,
  Ohio, KY, MD, PA, KY
• Numerous multi sector user networks were funded -
  AL, GA, NC, KY, PA, MD, NY, NC, VA, WV
• and, all types of innovative implementation and
  TA projects were funded Cyber Campuses NC,
  several non-profit ISPs established in GA, OH,
  and Help Desks TN, MD, OH
• E - demonstrations PA, NY
• The ARC annually approves between 4-6 Million
  dollars worth of telecommunications projects

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Demand Aggregation projects and other state
efforts the ARC is closely monitoring

• KYs CITE / ConnectKentucky program, and Ohios
  Access Appalachia
• NCs - NC Rural Internet Access Authority
• NCs -Appalachian Access project
• Mississippis -The Create Foundations - MEGAPOP
  project to expand High-Speed Broadband
  connectivity
• Pennsylvanias - 3 county wide demand aggregation
  projects
• And Marylands Allconet2 E-business network

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ARCs New ProgramInformation Age Appalachia
Approved 11/2001

• A program to help the Appalachian region to
  overcome the Digital Divide and ensure that
  affordable high-speed telecommunications
  services become a reality in the region

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ARCs IAA Program focus.

• Improve access to infrastructure through
  strategic planning efforts, assisting with Demand
  Aggregation efforts, and in some cases actually
  installing some critical necessary
  infrastructure
• Provide education, training, and workforce
  development programs on IT to benefit all sectors
  of the economy with enhanced educational and TA
  materials
• Assist S M size businesses with E-commerce
  readiness training programs, working with trade
  associations, and other organizations, and with
  specific business sectors in developing overall
  improved IT utilization opportunities in the
  region
• Develop new Technology Sector strategies that
  will assist the region in capturing more IT
  sector business.

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IAA Program In-house program was funded at
1,000,000 over the period of FY 2002 -
2004Guiding Principles

• Emphasis on the Distressed areas in the region
• Builds on ARCs partnership model
• Funds only projects that are locally sustainable
  2 sector beneficiary required for all funded
  projects
• Assists the region to find affordable solutions
• Builds on local capacity in individuals /
  organizations
• DA Workshops are still being offered

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IAA In-house - Accomplishments

• 26 Aggregation of Demand Workshops have been
  held, and 4 funding workshops, and 4 E-Rate
  workshops have been held
• 5 Wireless Demonstrations projects are now
  underway in NY, OH, and WV
• Carnegie Mellon U. TA contract approved WV / PA
  initially wireless demonstrations
• 6 - Conferences supported including - 2 -
  Rural Telecommunications Congress Conferences
• 5 E-commerce Tourism / Arts / Crafts projects
  funded in 2003
• Continued central office TA services

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A special set-a-side of 2 Million was reserved
for telecommunications and other initiatives
projects in FY 2005-2007
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Types of projects funded under the 2 M
set-a-side

• Improved access to infrastructure AL, VA, PA,
  MD, MS, TN, NY, WV, NC
• Improved education, training, workforce
  development AL, NY, NC, MD, SC, TN
• Assisted businesses with E-commerce readiness
  programs PA, MD, NY, AL, VA,
• Assisted in Tech Sector development employment
  programs WV,KY, TN, KY
• Expanded partnership arrangements were developed
  throughout the region to enhance
  telecommunications improvements in the region
  PA, KY
• Worked with local stakeholders to improve their
  technical knowledge of the Information Age
  issues through Strategic Telecommunications
  Planning AL, KY, VA, SC

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Appalachian Region

• 13 states
• 410 counties
• 200,741 sq. miles
• 23 million people
• 72 local development
• districts

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Cable Internet Access Available, 2000 (In Parts
or Whole of County)
Cable Internet Access Available
No Cable Access
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Cable Internet Access Available, 2003 (In Parts
or Whole of County)
Cable Internet Access Available
No Cable Access
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DSL Internet Access Available, 2000 (In Parts or
Whole of County)
4 or More DSL-Ready Telephone Switches
1 3 DSL-Ready Telephone Switches
No DSL Access
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DSL Internet Access Available, 2003 (In Parts or
Whole of County)
4 or More DSL-Ready Telephone Switches
1 3 DSL-Ready Telephone Switches
No DSL Access
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Competition Service of High-Speed Internet
Providers, 2000 (by ZIP Code)
No High-Speed Provider
1 3 High-Speed Providers
4 or More High-Speed Providers
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Competition Service of High-Speed Internet
Providers, 2002 (by ZIP Code)
No High-Speed Provider
1 3 High-Speed Providers
4 or More High-Speed Providers
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ARC based activities that benefit the states

1. The ARC continues to offer Aggregation of Demand
   workshops throughout the region as requested.
   past recipients PA, MD, MS, OH, VA, NY, AL, WV,
   KY, VA, GA
2. ARC continues to expand its outreach / working
   relationships with foundations, trade
   associations, non-profits, industry, businesses,
   etc. Motorola / Microsoft
3. ARC has created an On-line telecommunication
   resource center within the ARC WEB site
   www.ARC.GOV to help the region find resources to
   fund telecommunication related projects at the
   local level.

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Critical Types of Applications Needed in
Appalachian Communities

• Telemedicine, E-Commerce, E-government, Distance
  Learning

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The ARC will fund all types of projects that
further the adoption of applications in the
region, but projects must be multi - sector in
nature
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Distance Learning

• ARC will fund Distance learning programs that
  improve the quality of education curriculums for
  school system, colleges and universities
• ARC will fund Advanced Placement / dual
  enrollment programs that are offered by colleges
  / universities inspires students to go to
  college
• ARC will fund Community Access Centers that offer
  / provide in-place continuing educational
  opportunities for all residents
• ARC will continue to fund expanded Workforce
  training and Adult Literacy programs

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Telemedicine and Telehealth Services

• It is now becoming a standard of practice for the
  reimbursement industry to reimburse for
  telemedicine services Medicare, Medicaid, Blue
  Cross, etc.
• Telemedicine programs improve the overall access
  and delivery of quality health care
• Hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and doctors
  offices are now routinely sharing patient
  information Informatics utilizing Internet
  connectivity to improve the quality of patient
  care and case management
• Disease Management and post operation follow-up
  services are now being routinely facilitated by
  in-home telemedicine devices using POTS lines

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E-Commerce

• Businesses are discovering that a Robust WEB site
  means potential new market penetration and new
  sales
• Many businesses are now being required to do
  business on-line / ISO-9000 certified businesses
  now require Electronic Commerce Interface with
  other ISO-9000 businesses
• Businesses are using video-conferencing to
  market their products, conduct routine
  administrative in-house services, and provide
  continuing educational services to staff
• Business assistance services offered by IDAs,
  SBDCs, Chambers of Commerce, etc. are now being
  frequently provided through routine on-line
  training and In-house training programs for
  businesses

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E-Government

• Governments are now offering on-line services
  that provide routine information on taxation,
  public hearings, minutes and agendas of meetings,
  plans under review, etc.
• Governments are now offering all types of ways to
  do E Government business on-line register
  cars, get license plates, pay taxes, get business
  licenses, locate services within the government,
  conducting surveys on-line, and providing ways to
  contact elected officials on issues
• Criminal justice services are now routinely being
  done through video conferencing services
  including arraignments, and medical assessments,
  routine hearings, pre-trial motions, expert
  witness testimony services
• Governments are now offering all types of
  economic and social development services through
  WEB sites and on-line services

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Where to get help from Federal Programs that the
ARC can partner with

• . Rural Utilities Service Program D O
  Agriculture www.usda.gov/rus/telecom.dlt.dlthtm
• Neighborhood Network Program CDBG / Small
  Cities Program - DHUD
• Community Technology Centers, - DOED
• Universal Service Fund Program / E-Rate - FCC
  www.universalservice.org
• Office for the Advancement of Telehealth OAT
  http//telehealth.hrsa.gov

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How to apply for ARC funds

• The ARC WEB site at www.ARC.GOV should be first
  opened
• Look up states sub-directory AL WV, and locate
  the name of the State ARC Program Manager.
• Contact your States Program Manager and discuss
  the nature of any project before you put anything
  on paper!!!!! The states invite the proposals /
  applications not the ARC!

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Resources beyond Federal and State funding are
needed to close the telecommunications gap..

• Corporate and foundation funding will continue to
  be sought by the ARC over the coming years to
  augment ARC funding that will be pledged to the
  implementation of the IAA program.

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This is clearly a Human Resource Development /
Economic Development issue that applies to all
sectors of the Appalachian economy - High-speed
Broadband telecommunications services will
underpin all aspects of the Information Age
society in the future..
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Thank You

• Harry L. Roesch
• Senior Telecommunications Advisor
• Appalachian Regional Commission
• 1666 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
• Washington, D.C.
• 202-884-7774 phone
• 202-884-7682 fax