State Capacity Building:

In addition to staffing the Broadband Deployment Council, the Partnership for a Connected Illinois (PCI) will provide independent evaluation of two BTOP projects: the Smart Communities Sustainable Adoption grant in Chicago and the Urbana‐Champaign Big Broadband Intergovernmental Consortium.

Technical Assistance:

PCI has already piloted one eTeam in rural southern Illinois. With these funds, it will build a network of eTeams across the state that will minimally consist of public, private and community leaders, telecommunication service providers, public computing, outreach and computer service centers, distance learning centers, trainers and planners. Working closely with the Broadband Deployment Council, these eTeams will develop a framework to expand broadband availability and adoption in their regions.

Other - City of Chicago Fiber Strand Map:

The City of Chicago has undertaken a limited pilot project to map the exact location of fiber infrastructure throughout the city. This project builds on that pilot and is supported by a cash match from the city. With these funds, PCI will produce a fiber strand map with the City of Chicago and will also document its processes and costs, providing an opportunity for other cities to replicate this project.

Data Collection, Integration, and Validation:

This project was originally funded for broadband planning activities and two years of data collection. In September of 2010, this project was amended to extend data collection activities for an additional three years and to identify and implement best practices.