Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id eA3Giv912370; Fri, 3 Nov 2000 11:44:57 -0500 (EST) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2000 11:44:57 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <sa02a4c6.025@jsi.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Jeff Carter" <jeff_carter@jsi.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:1386] Re: Discounted DSL? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 5.2 Status: O Content-Length: 3817 Lines: 86 >NIFL-Technology Colleagues, > >I wonder if you are aware of any telphone company or other DSL provider >which is providing discounts to adult education programs for DSL service. >I think this is an issue we should be working on and sharing information >about. If we make progress on this, it could be a big boost for adult >learning and literacy programs who want to provide high(er) speed Internet >access for students and staff, but are constrained by the costs. > >Thanks, > >David J. Rosen David, (and others), As you and probably many others on the list know too well, adult literacy has a couple of obstacles to overcome in this regard. ABE is generally not organized locally or state-wide as a system, as is K-12, (thus losing the bargaining power that comes through strength in numbers), nor are individual programs usually large enough or prominent enough to attract attention or competition from the telecom companies by themselves. And of course, wiring K-12 and colleges with broadband is perceived by many companies as a good marketing or PR opportunity. Compounding this is the fact that, for the most part, adult literacy programs are not eligible for e-rate discounts. I'm not an expert on this, but I can tell you from talking to K-12 folks and writing stories on it that the e-rate has been a huge motivation for companies to compete for K-12 business over the last couple of years. And competition means that many K-12 systems are getting good discounts _in addition_ to the discount that they are getting from the e-rate program. In other words, it's not necessarily benevolence on the part of the companies to make deals with K-12 -- it's often part of their business strategy. A contract with a school district to provide broadband services is prized by many companies. Finally, it seems to me (I have nothing but anecdotal experience to back this up) that, compared to K-12, more programs in adult ed are located in buildings that are more difficult to wire or in parts of communities where it's more costly for these companies to provide services. (BTW -- bear in mind that DSL is only one of the several major competing broadband technologies out there. T-1 lines and cable modems, for example, are also part of the picture. It all depends on where you live. I _think_ in Massachusetts, for example, AT&T Roadrunner cable modems might lead the market in broadband services.) What it all adds up to is that individual programs have an uphill battle. I have personally never heard of a program that has actually had the luxury of selecting among competitive bids for broadband Internet services. (That doesn't mean it hasn't happened; I just don't know of any examples.) It would really be useful to hear about other people's experiences. So I just want to jump in and agree with David that this is an issue programs should be talking about, and also working on collectively. It seems to me that one strategy might be to form consortia of programs to approach providers collectively. It would be great to hear from people if they've had success this way. I guess the overriding question is, how do we get adult ed in a position where contracts with us are also prized by companies? Another issue is to talk about how adult literacy got cut out of the e-rate legislation and what, if anything, can be done to change that in future appropriations. This is an issue, I think, for both collective grass-roots organizing and also state and national leadership. I personally would trade all of the federal investments in technology initiatives and products for adult ed over the last five years in return for the inclusion of local adult literacy programs in the e-rate initiative. Thanks for raising the issue! Jeff Jeff Carter NELRC/World Education (617) 482-9485 jcarter@worlded.org
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