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Kathy Sheehan
Mayor | Albany, NY

Albany Broadband Initiative

Idea Category: Infrastructure

Problem

The citizens of Albany are either limited to target broadband speeds or have no affordable access to broadband at all, creating a gap in the ability of some parts of the community to participate in the global economy.

Solution

To include all residents in the ongoing digital revolution, the City of Albany has created a Broadband working group consisting of community leaders to identify a reasonable assessment of the opportunities for the City, the most viable business, sustainable financial and operational models including one-time and recurring third-party funding sources (E-Rate, NYS Broadband Grant, URI, etc.), and the deployment plan that will enable the City to take advantage of these opportunities in conjunction with broadband‐friendly public policy development. Broadband expands opportunity to citizens, communities, businesses and government entities by connecting individuals and organizations to advanced communications, telemedicine, telecommuting, etc. Additionally, access to broadband helps attract and retain new businesses, helping entrepreneurs compete in the global market.