I just read an article that I think it super valuable for anyone looking to develop (or modify) a local broadband strategy. It comes from a speech John Horrigan gave in Baltimore earlier this month.

First he gives a great synopsis of the National Broadband Plan, then he summed up how the National Broadband could be applied locally. Here’s the super quick notes from his talk – but the speech isn’t very long so if you have a five free minutes, I highly suggest reading it.

Let me now turn to a series of points about what cities can do to take advantage of this broadband moment in the United States. Convening an event such as this is the first step, but we need to think about a course for the future. Here is a list of ideas:

1) Understand the broadband environment in the city.

a) This also means assessing existing capacity in the city. Where does infrastructure run? What are the existing initiatives designed to provide training on how to use computers and broadband?
b) Relevant to this point is a recent announcement about broadband planning and states.

2) Lower the cost of deploying infrastructure in the city.

3) Support broadband access at city libraries.

4) Explore partnerships.

5) Understand & contribute to best practices around the country.

6) Undertake efforts to use broadband to improve services – such as education, energy, and government.

7) Monitor & Assess Programs.

It’s not rocket science, but it’s a great starting point.