We Need Broadband rural mapping helps attract stimulus

Dial-up friendly site designed to accelerate network deployment and access to stimulus dollars

Residents and businesses in communities under-served by broadband Internet access can now demonstrate their demand to the federal government by visiting and recording their location at http://weneedbroadband.com.

Only a name and address is required to map a potential subscriber’s location. The more locations mapped in a community, the more attractive it becomes for the $7.2 billion in grant dollars for broadband in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is expected that large telecommunications companies will vie for those dollars, and communities that have already been mapped for service will be more attractive to them also.

“Everyone deserves access to broadband Internet service and the opportunities it provides, so we developed and launched the We Need Broadband project to accelerate network deployments to under-served communities,” says Vince Jordan, CEO of RidgeviewTel, which operates the site. “We encourage those under-served by broadband to enter their location and rally their neighbors and community to do the same.”

For frequently asked questions, visit http://weneedbroadband.com/faqs.html. Call 1-866-992-WNBB for more information or email questions to http://mailto:getconnected@ridgeviewtel.com.

While the website’s content and design are very basic to make it accessible over a dial-up Internet connection, the mapping capability and database integration is powered by the company’s sophisticated dBOSS™ software platform which is what makes WeNeedBroadband.com unique.

RidgeviewTel has deployed 54 broadband networks to under-served communities in three states since 2004, including 14 communities in New York, 25 in Colorado, and 15 in Illinois.

RidgeviewTel is a full-service broadband communications company based in Longmont, Colorado that provides affordable, high-speed, wireless Internet services to communities under-served by traditional telecom and cable providers. Founded by President and CEO Vincent Jordan, a telecom industry veteran and entrepreneur, RidgeviewTel employs more than 30 people through three divisions, and provides wireless broadband to 14 communities in New York State, 25 in Colorado, and 15 in Illinois. More about RidgeviewTel can be found at www.ridgeviewtel.com.