January 1 - March 31, 2012

Broadband Mapping:
  • Sent reports to service providers to review their June 2011 data and collected new December 2011 data.
  • Regional Planning Agencies (RPA) sent cable & DSL availability maps to communities in the Berkshire, Pioneer Valley & Central MA regions for verification.
  • Drafted a Request for Proposals (RFP) for application development for address data development, standardization and mapping.
  • Submitted availability, middle mile & Community Anchor Institution (CAI) data to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on March 30.
Broadband Planning:
  • Met with 9 communities in Western MA to discuss last mile deployment planning.
  • WesternMA Connect (WMC) supported planning of four workshops to be held in May to educate CAIs in Western Central MA about their broadband options and the MassBroadband 123 network.
  • WMC and the RPAs developed draft zoning bylaws in three communities to facilitate the siting of wireless broadband infrastructure and serve as models for neighboring communities.
  • Continued cost benefit analyses to characterize the underserved areas in Western and Central MA and determine the most appropriate technologies for last mile deployment in those communities.
Veterans' Web Portal:
  • Developed and populated a searchable database of about 245 state & federal veterans benefits.
  • Developed and released a beta version of the Portal at a statewide training session for MA Veterans Service Officers in March.
  • Coordinated event logistics with key project partners, the MA Department of Veterans Services and the Red Sox Foundation, for an official Portal launch in April.
  • Developed a comprehensive outreach plan and a digital literacy toolkit.
Community Development Corporation (CDC) Grants:
  • Selected proposals from four CDCs geographically dispersed throughout the state to receive funding to provide sub-grants and technical assistance to small businesses and non-profit organizations