Overview

Rural Broadband Access “By any media and regardless of frontiers”

Digital Redwoods is designed with consideration for the “digital ecology” of the marketplace of ideas, and with a vision to develop sustainable broadband media ecosystems that engage private investment along with local community anchor organizations such as university, community college, schools, public safety, health care providers, libraries and digital media access facilities.

Digital Redwoods’ approach to community broadband development takes a long term view for the growth of communication networks both on the ground and overhead. Public agencies and private businesses are partnering with non-profit public benefit corporations to build community broadband media networks. Like an ancient forest, these root and canopy networks are uniquely adapted to their particular situations to maintain health and vitality over time.

This sustainable ecosystem approach for community based broadband is like planting Digital Redwoods that will develop a diverse and healthy marketplace of ideas over time. By supporting community anchor institutions, these broadband deployment, demand creation and adoption efforts will ensure public, education and government media access for the next, broadband generation.

By design, Digital Redwoods’ regional projects adapt uniquely to the places and people in each community served. Three examples are: Digital Rio Dell, a municipal wireless network providing redundant Internet access for the City, Library and Volunteer Fire Department; Access Humboldt Librariesproviding free public Wi-Fi access; and, Eureka Muni-Hub, a community fiber co-location facility with wireless interconnection capabilities.

Appropriate network technologies and innovations, including cloud architecture and open source applications are incorporated in this initiative to meet human needs. Individual deployment and adoption projects will connect local communities where people live, to other connected places, and with virtual communities across the larger realms of human communication.