WiredWest has procured the services of Dr. Andrew Cohill, of Design Nine, to work on the first phase of broadband planning. It’s estimated the work will take six months to complete. Cohill is a broadband architect with an international reputation for his work advising large and small communities on technology and broadband issues. In the [...]
All towns have now passed the WiredWest article on their town warrants, and two additional town Selectboards – Egremont and Lanesborough – have also opted to join the discussions around the formation of the WiredWest organization. The total is now 47 towns, which officially convened on June 26th for the inaugural all-town meeting in Cummington. [...]
In order to join WiredWest, 46 towns unserved or underserved by broadband are being asked to vote on their participation at 2010 town meetings. Over the past month, all towns addressing the issue have passed the article at town meetings - and The Egremont Selectboard has also chosen to join. There are 13 more town [...]
Momentum continues to build. In order to join WiredWest, 45 towns unserved or underserved by broadband are being asked to vote on their participation at 2010 town meetings. Over the past three weeks, all 23 town meetings addressing the issue have passed the article – all but one town unanimously - and The Egremont Selectboard [...]
RADIO SHOW APRIL 30TH Please tune in to WSBS on Friday, April 30th from 9:05 to 9:30am as Jim Lovejoy and Monica Webb discuss the WiredWest project with host Jesse Stewart. WSBS is 94.1 FM / 860 AM, or you can listen live online (Click “listen live” button). UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS Hope to see many [...]
A common question that often arises -- especially among Select Board members or residents who follow the news about broadband -- is "what about that $40 million from the state for broadband?" In late 2008 the state passed a $40 million bond bill establishing the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. The purpose of the institute shall be [...]
Making WiredWest into Reality: The WiredWest group is hard at work conducting research, planning, and working closely with legislators, and State and local agencies to leverage our collective resources and make this network a reality. The first order of business is creating a formal inter-municipal organization that governs the network, made up of participating towns. [...]
Many of us in rural western Massachusetts have no access to broadband at all. Here we are in one of the most technologically advanced, economically diverse, and highly educated states in the country while a third of the state (those of us here in the west) is still stuck with dial-up. How can this be? [...]
As of March 25, already thirty towns have agreed to place the WiredWest article on their annual town meeting warrants. This is amazing progress in a region as diverse and large as western Massachusetts and it speaks to the strong interest in broadband access throughout our community. Thanks to those of you who are helping [...]
Twenty-seven towns have now placed the WiredWest article on their town warrant for annual town meeting. Another 15 are in the process of doing so. You can find out the status of the warrant article in your town, track the developments throughout the region, and find out how you can help by viewing our map [...]