Monroe County, Pa., Leaders Partner for $1,000 Gigabit Project

East Stroudsburg University, the Monroe 2030 Action Team and Pocono Mountain Economic Development Corp. have come together to bring high-speed Internet to the area.

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(TNS)  — A coalition of local leaders has launched a project to improve digital infrastructure in Monroe County. East Stroudsburg University, the Monroe 2030 Action Team and Pocono Mountain Economic Development Corporation have partnered for the Monroe County $1,000 Gigabit Project.

The group plans to bring affordable high-speed internet to the area. The project had its public launch Tuesday with a Broadband Rally at ESU Innovation Center.

University President Marcia Welsh opened the rally by citing figures from the Monroe County Economic Scorecard. The university's Business and Economic Research Group publishes a scorecard each year. The report compares data from eight counties with statewide averages to provide a snapshot of local economic climate. Welsh called this year's numbers disappointing.

"Monroe County wages are only 76 percent of the state average and have grown least of the neighboring counties," she said.

Average earnings per job in 2016 grew 2.7 percent across the commonwealth. Out of eight counties in northeast Pennsylvania, Monroe showed the least growth - just .7 percent - this year, the Scorecard report shows.

"Already 120 cities elsewhere are called 'gigabit cities," said State Senator Mario Scavello (R-40). "We must invest in and develop our infrastructure.'"

Gigabit internet refers to broadband networks capable of transferring one billion units - or "bits" - of information in a single second. The title "gigabit city" denotes an area where buyers can purchase gigabit internet service at annual cost of $1,000 or less.

"If you buy communication services in bulk, you get a better discount than if you bought them individually," said Kevin Dellicker, President of Dellicker Strategies a technology consultant.

"One area where we do have gigabit status is in the school districts," said Dellicker. "Almost all school districts are paying about that much or less for internet service."

Network improvements could bring more than faster browsing speeds. Project supporters say higher capacity broadband can have measurable - and life-changing - implications.

Dellicker mentioned a hospital radiology center with a machine that could look through a body in small, detailed sections.

"I asked them how it was improving their work, and they said, 'we've been dialing it down because our broadband gets clogged up sending it to the hospital.' They couldn't even get full use the equipment they purchased for millions of dollars."

Dellicker referenced another of his firm's projects, the New Jersey Digital Readiness for Learning and Assessment Project-Broadband Component. The New Jersey Department of Education in 2014 hired Dellicker to help the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey improve broadband access at K-12 schools. Dellicker said the initiative cut broadband costs by 74 percent, saving the schools $109 million.

"That number - $109 million - might look like a success," he said. "Savings are good, but they aren't compelling. You could also say that 350 teachers stayed in the classroom because of those savings - that is compelling."

Rapid advances in technology will push developers into areas that keep pace, said Kevin McElligott, president of The Fortress Initiative and CEO of The Fortress Academy and York Exponential. He said that once the industry speeds up, local economies won't be able to catch up.

"Experts predict that in the next decade, a third of the population will be unemployable," he said, "not unemployed - unemployable. I can't stress this enough: this is not about competition - it's about survival."

Kelly Lewis, president of Lewis Strategic and a former Pennsylvania Representative, alluded to county milestones in closing remarks.

"Your ancestors and predecessors brought Route 80 through Monroe County," said Lewis. "We did it for Route 80 and we can do it for this highway."

Project organizers have scheduled monthly meetings through May. With support from community leaders, Lewis promised to put a plan into action by the final meeting.

"If you get us what we need," he said, "I will bring you affordable gigabit internet by May."

Monroe County $1,000 Gigabit Project leaders will meet next on Jan. 13 at the ESU Innovation Center.

©2016 the Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, Pa., Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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