Asheville, NC (September 17, 2013) – The City of Asheville is recognizing the Education and Research Consortium of the Western Carolinas (ERC), for their extensive work connecting 12 Fire Stations and 4 Police Stations to emergency dispatchers on September 17 at a ceremonial activation of the new fiber optic network.
“Fiber connection to our fire stations is a critical component of getting help to our citizens as quickly as possible,” says Asheville Fire Chief Scott Burnette. “Alerting our firefighters at fiber speeds shortens their response time by 400 percent. This equates to more lives saved and less property damaged by fires in our community, and also increases the safety of our firefighters.”
The event begins at 11:30 a.m.. Mayor Bellamy will open the ceremony at noon on the back lot of the Murphy-Oakley Community Center and Fire Station Building located at 749 Fairview Road.
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Asheville, NC (August 13, 2013)– Yesterday, MCNC, the nonprofit operator of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), hosted a four city video conference entitled ‘Broadband for the Future’ to announce the completion of the second and final phase of the $144 million Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative (GLRBI). The GLRBI was funded through grants from the US Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). Significant matching funds – required to obtain the grants – came from groups such as the Golden LEAF Foundation ($24 million) and the MCNC Endowment ($10 million). The ERC, a private nonprofit broadband operator based in Asheville, was a subrecipient to MCNC for the GLRBI.
Held simultaneously at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, UNC Charlotte, Elizabeth City State University, and the Research Triangle Park MCNC campus, the celebration highlighted many accomplishments such as: the extended NCREN fiber optic network; the enhanced innovation opportunities across the State; the expanded support for community anchor institutions; the increased opportunties for private sector partnerships.
Biltmore Farms CEO and ERC Board member Jack Cecil and ERC Executive Director Hunter Goosmann gave presentations at the event, along with Thomas Karl from the National Climatic Data Center. Other notable presenters included North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, NC Representative David Price, NC Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, NC Representative Jason Saine, and Golden LEAF Foundation CEO Dan Gerlach.
The ERC used its grant award to expand the ERC fiber optic footprint across western North Carolina, furthering its mission to increase broadband connectivity and technology adoption across WNC. For more information related to the ERC or the GLRBI, please call Jessica Stavish at (828) 350-2415 or email her at jstavish@ercwnc.org. You can also find us on the web at www.ercwnc.org. For more information on MCNC, visit www.mcnc.org.
Asheville, NC (June 6, 2013) – ERC is proud to be a part of the ‘Broadband Hero’ program. The NTIA recently honored 16 programs as broadband “heroes”. MCNC was named as the funds recipient for the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative of which the ERC is a subrecipient. Click here (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/blog/2013/16-btop-projects-honored-broadband-heroes) for more information.
Asheville, NC (April 4, 2013) – ERC is proud to introduce its newest team members: Paul Ebbs, Charles “Bobby” Hough, and Jessica Stavish. Additionally, Bradley Cain has been promoted to the ERC’s Chief Operating Officer. Please see the PDF press release.
Washington, DC (March 6, 2013) – MCNC’s Joe Freddoso testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology to answer the question, “Is the Broadband Stimulus Working?”. During his testimony, Mr. Freddoso emphatically pointed out how MCNC’s successful deployment of BTOP stimulus-funded fiber-optic cable benefits North Carolina. More information can be found at https://www.mcnc.org/btop/progress/reports.
The ERC is a subrecipient to MCNC for its BTOP stimulus effort. The ERC also partners with MCNC to support its mission as well as the State’s broadband and technology-related goals across western North Carolina.
