What is e-BEAT?

The Extension Broadband Education and Adoption Team (e-BEAT) was created as part of a grant from the Governor's office to help Mississippians use broadband and information technology to further community and economic development opportunities.

Through this project, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, six regional Extension broadband coordinators work with area residents to develop local solutions and learn the skills needed to get their neighbors online. Greater broadband use can lead to better educational opportunities, a more highly skilled workforce, enhanced quality of life, and improved access to health care and public services in Mississippi.

Latest News

USDA Announces Community Connect Grant Program Application

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Services (RUS) announces its Community Connect Grant Program application. This program intends to bring broadband service to rural areas where the service currently does not exist. Applications may be submitted on paper or electronically. Minimum grant amount: $100,000; maximum grant amount: $1,500,000. Application deadline: June 18, 2012. Who is eligible for grants? Incorporated organizations,Native American tribes or tribal organizations, state or local units of government, and a cooperative, private corporation or limited liability company organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis. Application guides and materials are available here. For more information, read this document. Stay tuned for an informational webinar being planned for mid-May.

Upcoming Webinars

Small Business Internet Apps & Uses (Tuesday, May 15, 10 a.m. CT): With the web economy expected to reach $2.3T by 2016 in the G20 countries and with popular social media applications spanning close to 1 billion users, it is critical for small businesses to take advantage of the Internet. But what Internet apps can be most useful for small businesses? Knowing what cloud services are available, appearing on digital maps, utilizing social media for marketing purposes, and transitioning into a mobile market are just some examples of the tremendous potential the Internet holds for small businesses. Join us to find out more!

Upcoming Meetings/Forums

Region 1 - Broadband Community - Tuesday, May 17 at Municipal Courtroom, Woodville (4:30am)
Region 2 - Facebook 101 - Tuesday, May 15 at St. Martin Public Library (10:00am)
Region 2 - Tech. at Your Fingertips- Tuesday, May 15 at Ocean Springs Public Library (2:00pm)
Region 2 - Internet 101 - Thursday, May 17 at R.E. Blackwell Memorial Library (10:00am)
Region 5 - WINing with Broadband - Wednesday, May 31 at Clarksdale WIN Job Center (1:00pm)

Extension broadband effort targets local governments

Local municipal governments are providing insight into their use of the Internet so the Extension Broadband Education and Adoption Team can develop recommendations to improve services to residents and businesses. Less than half of the responding city clerks from every incorporated city and town in Mississippi reported having a city website or offering online services. Learn how e-BEAT plans to help change that.
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Small Business Internet Use Survey

Are you a small business owner? Please complete this survey! The information gathered will allow e-BEAT to strategically design and market digital literacy trainings and materials aimed at the needs of small businesses in Mississippi.
Click here to take the survey!

Poverty stretches the digital divide

Broadband subscribership in rural states, particularly in the West, increased at a rapid clip between 2008 and 2010 while the South has lagged behind the rest of the nation, according to government data analyzed by the Investigative Reporting Workshop. Mississippi had the lowest rating in 2010, a 35 percent subscribership rate, according to the Workshop’s statistical analysis of FCC data. Mississippi also is the poorest state in the nation, according to the U.S. Census Department’s American Community Survey.

However, Mississippians still find a way to get online, according to Roberto Gallardo with the Southern Rural Development Center at Mississippi State University. In a survey of more than 2,000 households, nearly 79 percent said someone in the home had used the Internet. Get more information and check out the interactive national broadband map.
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Provide feedback to the Mississippi Broadband Connect Coalition report

As part of our broadband educational efforts, we want to capture the general public's impressions on the Mississippi Broadband Connect Coalition report, "Mapping Mississippi's Digital Future". If you are interested in providing feedback, please take our survey and submit your feedback. Your input is VERY important!

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