blogs
Commissioner Chong Visits SNBC
On May 5, 2008, Commissioner Rachelle Chong from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) visited the Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center (SNBC) in San Francisco. The purpose of the visit was to learn about SNBC's community technology programs.
To view some photos of her visit, click on the following link: Photos
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Information Technology
The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) has released its first survey in a series on public opinion and information technology conducted with funding from the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) and ZeroDivide.
Survey Findings:
- Less than half of California Latinos (48%) have home computers compared to about eight in 10 or more for whites (86%), Asians (84%), and blacks (79%). Just four in 10 Latinos (40%) have Internet access and a third (34%) a broadband connection at home.
- Among households with incomes under $40,000, half have home computers, but only four in 10 (40%) have home Internet access and just a third (33%) have broadband.
- Twenty-nine percent of Californians have DSL, 19 percent have cable modems, 5 percent have wireless, and 2 percent have fiber optic or T-1 connections. Just 7 percent have dial-up connections.
To access the full report, please click HERE.
Information Technology Making a Difference in Children's Lives: An Issue Brief for Leaders for Children
Providing research and case studies that show how digital tools and applications can improve children's education, health, employment, and civic opportunities, this Issue Brief urges groups working on children's issues to include technology planks in their platforms and policy agendas. In addition to working for equitable access to digital tools for underserved children, the report encourages leaders of children to lobby for changes in public programs serving children to make them more effective, efficient and accessible by incorporating information and communications technology.
Computer Donations from the Technology Training Foundation of America (TTFA)
The Technology Training Foundation of America is dedicated to bridging the Digital Divide through free donations of high-quality computers and peripherals through its Computer Refurbishing Program. Public schools and nonprofit organizations in California are eligible to apply. For more information about TTFA, visit: http://www.computers2learnby.org.
To complete an application form, visit: http://www.computers2learnby.org/who.htm.
O1 Communications Offers California Teleconnect Fund Discounts to All Approved Community-Based Organizations in California
The California Teleconnect Fund (CTF) is a program of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) created in 1997 to provide discounts on telecommunications services to schools, libraries, health care institutions, and certain community-based organizations (CBOs) in California. CBOs with programmatic activity in the areas of technology, health care, job training, job placement, and educational instruction qualify for the discounts and are required to submit an application for approval to the CPUC. These discounts create new opportunities for qualified CBOs to offer affordable access to technology, training, and other resources to individuals in low income and underserved communities.
2008 Sacramento Day: Register Today!!!!!!
Wireless Comparative Analysis and Best Practices Education Project
Community Partners, the California Community Technology Policy Group, the Broadband Institute of California and the California Emerging Technology Fund are pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new project on wireless networks.
This project, the Wireless Comparative Analysis and Best Practices Education Project, is an aggressive 2-year program to identify and promote best practices and models for wireless networks, with a special emphasis on digital inclusion. These best practices and models will be available to community leaders, industry representatives and government officials for their use as they consider, develop and implement the most effective, inclusive, and sustainable wireless networks.
