Lowell Telecommunications Corporation

The Open Media Globe
Submitted by LTC_Lowell on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 15:12
Contact Information
Organization Name: 
Lowell Telecommunications Corporation
Applicant Name: 
Eleanor Pye
Address: 
246 Market Street Lowell MA 01852
Phone: 
978-458-5400
E-mail: 
epye@ltc.org
Website URL: 
LTC.org
Why is your organization interested in increased broadband usage among your members and community: 
Lowell Telecommunications Corporation (LTC) is the independent and non-profit community access media and technology center that proudly serves the diverse urban population of Lowell, MA. LTC celebrates Freedom of Speech in all its forms as a cultural institution rooted in a strong commitment to providing media arts education, access, and programming to the residents of the community. Anyone who works or lives in the City of Lowell may become a member and use its facilities, and LTC members engage in a myriad of projects using the skills they have developed in field production, studio production, non-linear editing, web design, animation, graphic design, and audio production. The core values that guide LTC include accessibility, creative expression, community building through collaboration, and supporting diversity in all its forms. The access LTC offers enables each individual the right to create content-driven media, addressing areas of concern or pockets of the population that are generally under-served by mainstream media. LTC's proposed Public Access Wi-Fi will provide free internet service to anyone with a wireless-enabled device (i.e. computer, laptop, iPod, mobile phone), improving access to public services, information, and resources. Regardless if the device is stationary or mobile, the network will remain consistent as opposed to the small and restrictive “hot spots” offered by local businesses. The wi-fi network will also be available in the public computer spaces of local service agencies and housing facilities, enabling the residents to gain access to the internet regardless of whether they personally own a computer or wireless device. By acknowledging and embracing the internet and the Public Access Wi-Fi project as a vital means of communication, LTC stays true to its mission while keeping tabs on the pulse of technology. The goal of the Public Access Wi-Fi project is to blanket the entire city of Lowell, making it accessible to the 110,000 residents of the city as well as the hundreds of daily visitors in the city for business or pleasure. Through the wi-fi system's tracking program of independent users, the measurable usage data is instant and thorough. This will assist in securing financial backing support. Private foundations and business sponsors will know exactly what areas of the city are accessing the network the most. Additionally, any service organization, community group, or individual would have the assurance that internet connectivity is available to them regardless of location or technical abilities. This enables more grassroots and community-driven events or gatherings the opportunity to access and/or share data and resources with a larger audience with no additional connectivity or wiring needs.
Demographic Information
Service Area Congressional Districts: 
Massachusetts 5th District
Does your organization serve a federally recognized tribal entities? If yes, please identify: 
No
If other, please explain:: 
LTC serves all the residents of Lowell, Massachusetts: Hispanic, Black, Asian, Native American, Caucasian, Disabled, Low Income, those who speak English as a Second Language, Unemployed, Senior Citizens, and Youth. Everyone is welcomed and supported.
Number of hosehold subscribers: 
30000
Estimated population size of your service area: 
110000
Please provide demogrphic information for the population you serve: 
LTC's mission is to build community through technology. Anyone who lives or works in Lowell, Massachusetts has access to LTC's media facility, equipment, and services. The fourth largest city in the Commonwealth, Lowell is ethnically diverse, with 62.5% of the population being Caucasian, 16.5% Asian, 14% Latino, 4.2% Black, and 2.5% other ethnicities. Lowell has the second largest Cambodian population in the United States. The city’s unemployment rate stands at around 12%. Lowell currently has approximately 16.8% of the population living at below the poverty line.
Supporting Vulnerable Populations
Please describe the specific affirmative steps that your program will take to engage and serve the groups identified: 
The Public Access Wi-Fi project enables individuals to access the internet from their own homes, on their own wireless devices. Others may access the internet at community centers, freeing up the hosting agency's valuable funds from paying for internet connectivity and allowing the agency to use it toward other services. Collaborating partners in the Public Access Wi-Fi project include the local housing authority, elder services, youth services agencies, and others. All of these partners provide accessible computers for their constituents. As the Public Access Wi-Fi network grows, LTC will partner with other non-profit organizations and services agencies to provide access and training to the under-served. Each partnering center will have a technical support individual trained to answer general computer questions as well as assisting in browser navigation, content creation, and posting media to the internet. LTC's staff will include a wi-fi coordinator who manages and maintains the wireless network and an educator who will train the site trainers as well as conduct classes at LTC in both basic computer skills and content creation.
Please describe the ways your center will be accessible to people with disabilities and technologies will be used: 
Many of the partnering agencies LTC collaborates with are already required to comply with disability access regulations. LTC's own computer lab is accessible to the disabled.
Do you offer, or plan to offer, multilingual training and outreach? If so, please describe and identify languages it will be in: 
LTC currently offers computer classes in Khmer, the language spoken within the Cambodian community. Partnering agencies include many of those that address the needs of those within the culturally diverse populations. These include Cambodian, Portuguese, and Latino.
Local Drupal Development Commitement
In addition to what the OMF will provide through this grant, we estimate that a successful implementation will require a minimum of 80 hours of local drupal support (through trained staff, contractors, or volunteers).
How many hours of professional drupal development support can you commit to securing between Oct 2010 and Oct 2012: 
100
What is the estimated Cost (or value, if volunteer) of this commitment: 
2000
Current Capitial Equipment Commitment
If your organization already has some or all of the equipment required to implement the Open Media Project, or the capital budget necessary to acquire it, that value will be included as part of your match. If not, grant funds will be used to acquire the equipment you require.
What is the value of current equipment you could dedicate to your local implementation of the Open Media Project? (if equipment is not owned, or available to dedicate to the OMP, enter $0)
Current Webserver: 
0
Current Digital Broadcast Server(s): 
20000
Current Dedicated RAID Storage: 
0
Other Current Equipment Value: 
0
Future Capital Equipment Commitment
If your organization already has some or all of the equipment required to implement the Open Media Project, or the capital budget necessary to acquire it, that value will be included as part of your match. If not, grant funds will be used to acquire the equipment you require. How much Capital Equipment budget could you devote towards the acquisition of the following equipment:
Future Webserver(s): 
0
Future Dedicated RAID Server: 
0
Future Digital Broadcast Server(s): 
0
Other Future Equipment Value: 
30000
If other, please explain: 
This price includes the Meraki devices required to extend the wireless signal and cabling for the devices as well as power devices such as a power over ethernet switch.
Technical and Administrative Support
We estimate that a successful implementation of the OMP will require a minimum of 80 hours of technical and administrative support (through involvement of your ED, bookkeeper, engineer and other staff). Any time contributed will count towards your in-kind match.
How many hours can you commit to securing between Oct 2010 and Oct 2012: 
800
List each staff member, position, number of hours committed, and hourly wage (or equivalent, if salary): 
Equipment & Facilities Manager, 6 hours per week, $20 per hour Executive Director, 2 hours per week, $30 per hour
Video Content Commitment
Partners will be supporting Sustainable Broadband Adoption by addressing the primary hurdle identified by non-adopters: a perception that broadband is not relevant to life, especially in low-income and minority communities. What is the value of the staff time and resources you are willing to devote to supporting the production of video content that will address 'broadband relevance' from the perspective of members from disconnected communities"?
Staff Time: 
8320
Resources/Equipment: 
60000
Broadband Training Program
If you intend to provide training or education, how many people in total will your program(s) reach: 
300
How many hours of training do you expect to provide per person on average for your program(s), through completion of training: 
22
How many Full Time Employee (FTEs) will you employ for broadband and digital literacy training purposes: 
3
Describe the qualifications and training of full time employee instructors of broadband and digital literacy training: 
College degree in Video Production and Media Arts, Apple Certified in Digital Media Editing software, training at the Maine Media Workshop in film techniques, consistent hands-on experience
Job Creation
How many indirect jobs will be created from this project: 
25
How many direct jobs will be created from this project: 
2