Eileen Clegg

PCI Conversations: Sascha Meinrath, the M-Lab, and the need for reliable broadband maps

Reliable information about access to broadband is essential to efforts designed to ensure equal access to broadband. The Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband map is missing the mark, however, because it relies on self-reporting by Internet service providers for information. That was the message of Sascha Meinrath, the Palmer Chair in Telecommunications at Pennsylvania State University, when he joined the January 19 PCI Community call. The reporting discrepancy exacerbates the digital divide and disadvantages rural communities.

A People-Centered Look at Smart Cities

What good is a “smart city,” if it doesn’t improve people’s lives?

The trajectory of smart cities has evolved from a purely technology-centered approach to a government-centered approach. It is now becoming increasingly clear that “smart” technologies must be implemented for and with the people they are meant to serve. While many initial attempts at building smart cities have not evolved past the technology-centered phase, there is growing understanding that a people-centered approach is the future.