Gigabit Ready, launched in the summer of 2012, is a regional initiative whose mission is to encourage the development and adoption of ultra high-speed or "gigabit" broadband throughout Greater Lansing.
Lead by Connect Michigan, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), Prima Civitas Foundation (PCF) and Michigan State University (MSU) and working in partnership with the national effort entitled the University Community Next Generation Innovation Project or Gig.U, the initiative will educate and assist communities and businesses in alleviating barriers to the deployment of further gigabit broadband networks in the region.
GigabitReady.com is currently in its beta phase and its resources will be made fully available to communities and businesses in August of 2012.
For more information, please contact:
Tremaine Phillips
Chief Program Officer
Prima Civitas Foundation
Phone: 517.488.6511 | E-mail: t.phillips@primacivitas.org
Jeff Smith
Co-Director of the New Economy Division
Lansing Economic Area Partnership
Phone: 517.702.3387 ext. 203 | E-mail: Jeff@purelansing.com
History
In the Spring of 2011, the PCF and MSU began working with 30+ research institutions across the country on the Gig.U project. Gig.U was created in order to assist communities surrounding higher education/research institutions in the U.S. adopt and deploy ultra-high speed or “gigabit” broadband networks.
PCF assembled the Greater Lansing Gig.U Executive Committee to assist in the development and implementation of strategies that would help to alleviate and eliminate barriers to implementing gigabit speed networks in the Greater Lansing region. The assembled consortium represented local municipalities, economic development organizations and other stakeholders, including Connect Michigan, LEAP, Meridian Township Economic Development Corporation, Lansing Economic Development Corporation and the City of East Lansing.
Gigabit Ready was then created by the Executive Committee in order to further customize the national Gig.U project to the needs and aspirations of the Greater Lansing region.