DURHAM, N.C. — Elise Kohn, the recently hired senior adviser and program director for North Carolina’s Next Generation Network project, has a huge job on her hands: Helping bring ultra-fast network access to the Triangle and Triad.
But to say she is excited rather than daunted by the task ahead would be quite accurate. Based in Durham, she is working with NC NGN representatives from university representatives at Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State, Wake Forest, the Triangle J Council of Governments and the cities as well as towns that are participating in the project aiming to bring a Google Fiber-like project to North Carolina.
“Several North Carolina cities and universities including Winston-Salem and Wake Forest University are making progress on an effort to bring ultra-high-speed broadband to their communities, but the work is coming along more slowly than originally hoped.”
“Baby Boomers may be stepping up now to care for aging parents, but when they’re the ones who need the help, there might not be enough people to provide it.”
“According to a report released Monday from the AARP Public Policy Institute, over the next 20 years, as boomers get into their 80s, the number of potential caregivers will drop dramatically. In 2010, there were 7.2 possible caregivers (people aged 45 to 64 years old) for every person over the age of 80. By 2030, the AARP projects that ratio will fall to four to one and, by 2050, they expect it to reach less than three to one.”
“As the internet of things matures, it’s forcing consumers to think about how they want to build their connected home of the future. And frankly, this is a good thing. On Wednesday, SmartThings, the company that makes a hub that speaks multiple radio protocols, is opening an online store where customers can shop, not just for a mess of sensors and the SmartThings hub, but for packages that solve a specific problem.”
“Almost $144 million and 2,600 miles of fiber later, and MCNC is ready to announce the completion of the final phase of the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative.”
“Gigabit communities are sprouting up across the nation, but what’s the big picture for their future? Ethernet inventor Bob Metcalfe has a few ideas.
Speaking in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Tuesday, Aug. 6, Metcalfe said it will be critical for gigabit networks to reach critical mass so people can be properly networked. This means gig cities like Chattanooga; Kansas City, Kan. and Mo.; and Austin, Texas; need to connect with one another so that they don’t function as “islands” – only innovating within their own communities.”
” “The silent market” is a phrase some might use to describe machine-to-machine (M2M), which is the group of technologies that enables sensors, meters and a whole range of inanimate objects to communicate with each other. While broadband project teams typically look to economic development, education and medical services applications to justify the cost of building networks, they may be overlooking M2M as one of the killer broadband apps.”
“A fiber-optic network that will make high-speed commercial Internet widely available across North Carolina from one provider is one of numerous private sector efforts focused on taking the net to under-served areas and those with little or no access at all. These networks have one backbone piece in common – North Carolina’s Research and Education Network that stretches from the coast to the mountains after a $144 million expansion program.” (subscription required)
“Despite North Carolina’s reputation as a center of research and higher learning, many businesses and residents struggle with limited or non-existent Internet access. As RST Global Communications, LLC (RST) expands its service footprint statewide, those technology issues could soon be a thing of the past.”
“Digital health research from Parks Associates finds over 50% of U.S. broadband households with access to online services such as prescription refills, real-time video calls with a doctor, or appointments use these services. Demand for additional services is also high, with nearly 20% of U.S. broadband households, over 17 million households, interested in a live chat service with health experts. In addition, 13% are interested in virtual tools to manage medications, and 15% are interested in post-surgery virtual monitoring.”
