Leaders from across Nebraska will meet Nov. 1 in Lincoln for a conference to explore the potential of broadband technologies to promote economic and community growth.
Tom Koulopoulos, author, futurist and president of the Delphi Group, will be the keynote speaker for "Broadband Connecting Nebraska," which will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cornhusker Marriott.
The conference, coordinated by the AIM Institute, is part of a broadband mapping and planning initiative funded by a grant to the Nebraska Public Service Commission by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration to increase the adoption and use of high speed Internet. Project partners include the PSC, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, the UNL Center for Applied Rural Innovation, the Nebraska Information Technology Commission's Community Council, the AIM Institute and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
Koulopoulos's Delphi Group, which he founded, is a Boston-based thought leadership firm that provides advice on leading age technologies to global organizations and governments. Koulopoulos also has served as executive director of the Babson College Center for Business Innovation. He will be the luncheon speaker at the conference.
Jessica Zufolo, deputy administrator of the USDA's Rural Utilities Services, will speak in the morning, and an afternoon panel discussion will focus on various approaches to broadband service. Other presentations will cover broadband success stories in Nebraska and issues and opportunities to drive further broadband adoption.
"There are countless examples across Nebraska of businesses, organizations and communities that are effectively using broadband technologies for growth," said Rod Armstrong of the AIM Institute. "Several of these success stories will be highlighted at the conference."
Charlotte Narjes, special projects manager of CARI, said an Internet provider panel will answer questions about adoption and access. "This will be a great opportunity for participants to learn what providers are doing across the state," she said.
Plans are to schedule this conference annually, Narjes added. The conference is open to the public, with an early registration due Oct. 21; fees go up after that date. Cost and other information is available at Broadband.nebraska.gov.
More details at: Broadband.nebraska.gov