Project OVERCOME Buffalo, NY

We installed a private LTE network over the Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum to provide broadband internet access to the Fruit Belt community in Buffalo, NY. For each participant, we provided and installed a CPE to connect to our network, a Wi-Fi access point for them to connect to the internet, and a computer kit (comprising a desktop computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset, and web camera). In addition to assisting with installation and setup in the participants' homes, Digital Stewards from the community provided introductory digital literacy training to participants. A Community Coordinator and an Assistant Community Coordinator recruited participants from the community, coordinated with participants, our vendor, and the Digital Stewards to schedule installations, and served as the primary contacts with participants about everything from routine network updates to network troubleshooting. 

• An original grant of $300,000 provided by Schmidt Futures allowed us to kick off this project in April 2021. Do you want to know more?

• Additional funds to provide each participant with a desktop computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset, and web camera were provided by The John R. Oishei Foundation.

•  $3,000 was received by IEEE Future Networks as a monetary prize for ranking second in the Technical Proof-of-Concept Category of the 2021 IEEE Connecting The Unconnected (CTU) Challenge. These funds were re-invested into the project.