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In May 2006, Gillett was one of the keynote speakers at MTC’s John Adams Innovation Institute Governing Board meeting held at the John Hancock building. At the meeting she detailed the economic importance—the proven cost-savings and economic benefits for communities—underlying the increasing involvement by local municipalities and regions in broadband connectivity. Between 1998 and 2002, communities served by broadband saw significant increases in jobs, in property values, in number of firms, and in industry mix, Gillett found.

“Broadband, wireless, telecommunications and cable are critical to the economic success of businesses and consumers in all parts of our state, from Pittsfield to Provincetown,” Gillett said upon her appointment.

MTC’s Senior Industry Advisor, Nick Vantzelfde, lauded her selection, saying that Gillett was “an excellent choice to help make sure that communities across the Commonwealth are wired for the 21st century.”  Vantzelfde provides the state technical assistance and policy advice on the range of broadband initiatives underway in Massachusetts.  

In a series of briefings held for legislators and policymakers, Vantzelfde underscored the progress being made by a number of wireless and broadband initiatives underway in Massachusetts to surmount existing barriers to achieve the deployment of affordable, ubiquitous broadband.

Without state investment in the communications infrastructure to ensure affordable access to broadband connectivity, Massachusetts is evolving into a state of broadband “haves” and “have-nots.” click here to enlarge

In late March, legislators—including Sen. Stan Rosenberg, Rep. Dan Bosley, and Rep. Peter Kocok—along with Patrick Administration Wireless and Broadband Director Stan McGee—met with the leaders of Pioneer Valley Connect and Berkshire Connect to discuss the findings of their “Connecting Western MA,” an initiative seeking to provide broadband connectivity to 31 un-served and 30 under-served communities in Western Massachusetts.

The strong, consensus message coming out of the meeting was: “Let’s get this done!”

Earlier in that week, the Innovation Institute provided McGee an in-depth briefing regarding additional initiatives on the Cape and in Boston.

Three local academic and research institutions—Cape Cod Community College, the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution—are working in partnership with the Cape Cod Technology Council.  The project seeks to overcome the region’s inadequate infrastructure by using wireless technology, and by aggregating demand for ubiquitous connectivity on a regional basis in order to create the conditions for competitive wholesale pricing.

“What unites all of these projects is the importance of developing carrier-neutral networks, as well as developing business models that reflect the differing needs of each community,” said Don Dubendorf, the chair of MTC’s John Adams Innovation Institute Governing Board.

Return to front page of Convergence.

Sharon E. Gillett, the newly appointed head of the MA Department of Telecommunications and Cable, is a broadband expert who has worked closely with the Innovation Institute. She was a keynote presenter at the May 2006 Governing Board meeting.

“Broadband, wireless, telecommunications, and cable are critical to the economic success of businesses and consumers in all parts of our state, from Pittsfield to Provincetown.”

-- Sharon E. Gillett

The Open Cape initiative seeks to create a wireless transport backbone that would run from Bourne to Provincetown and from Bourne to Falmouth, with the goal to provide affordable, reliable connectivity for the Cape and Southeastern Massachusetts. click here to enlarge

With ubiquitous wireless services envisioned under the carrier-neutral “Openairboston” model, the flow of information can go back and forth from any enabled device to any application, through any network. These changes provide a platform for innovation, creating constant connectivity that is cheap and ubiquitous – at home, at work, anywhere. click here to enlarge