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Corman Demonstrates Telecommunications Technologies
Potential for Rural PA
HARRISBURG -- In
an effort to help inform residents of Perry County about the vast potential of
high-speed telecommunications technologies, Sen. Jake Corman (R-34th
District) yesterday interacted with New Bloomfield residents via videoconference
using a broadband network connection.
“We recognize that this technology has terrific
economic implications, and if our rural communities are going to thrive we need
to expand affordable access to broadband in areas like Perry County,” said
Senator Corman.
Approximately 25 people attended the
demonstration.
Corman could see the entire group of attendees on a
TV screen in his Bellefonte District Office and responded in real-time to
questions from the audience in New Bloomfield, 70 miles away. Meanwhile, the
group of residents could see and hear Corman on their own TV in a very clear
image, without the stuttering pictures associated with older video conferencing
technology.
“High-speed telecommunications is what is making
possible this exceptional image quality,” said Corman. “Now that the technology
has improved, the time is right for applying it in settings like education and
medical diagnosis, where it could be a real boon. What is needed now is to
inform the community about its potential so that we build the public demand to
make it economically feasible.”
Corman’s demonstration was conducted, in part, to
help promote awareness of the e-Corridor project, which is a regional wide area
network (WAN) being developed to serve 24 school districts and two vocational
technical schools in Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and Northern York counties. The
Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU) is leading the initiative, using a
$500,000 state grant Corman secured to develop the network.
The network will be distinguished by functioning as
a community resource benefiting schools, business sites and communities in the
four counties. The new broadband network is expected to go live in mid-2004.
The new network will provide high-speed (broadband)
telecommunications service for participating schools, benefiting more than
50,000 children in the mid-state. The project is taking advantage of existing
network infrastructure while also building new network components.
The ten school districts to connect to the broadband
network in July 2004 are Big Spring, Central Dauphin, Greenwood, Halifax,
Harrisburg, Lower Dauphin, Millersburg, Northern York, Steelton-Highspire and
Susquenita. The four districts to connect in July 2005 are Dauphin County AVTS,
Derry Township, Shippensburg, and West Shore.
The CAIU has been joined in this effort by the Perry
County Board of Commissioners, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and the Capital
Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). Senator Corman (R- Bellefonte)
was influential in coordinating efforts among the various groups.
In addition to use by schools, the network is being
planned to serve the Technology Corridor and Perry County Enterprise Zone in the
region served and administered by the CREDC. This zone was established to
stimulate technology investment in locations needing economic revitalization.
The CREDC estimates the network project will create or retain up to 1,200 jobs.
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