The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative

Getting Connected

State wires up for high-speed Internet

Mississippi is getting on the broadband wagon. While currently Mississippi residents have the lowest broadband (high speed) Internet usage rate in the country—about 60 percent—the Mississippi Broadband Connection Coalition (MBBC) aims to help more Mississippians get high-speed Internet connections.

Mississippi has received about $7 million in federal funding to collect information on the availability, speed and location of broadband across the state. Part of these funds helped create MBCC, a non-profit partnership focused on producing a comprehensive statewide plan for improving digital literacy, increasing access to broadband and enabling greater adoption of broadband in the state.

"We are trying to get a picture of which areas in Mississippi have adequate access to high-speed Internet and where there could be improvement," says Laura Hipp, deputy press secretary to Governor Haley Barbour. "The State of Mississippi will not actually install a broadband system as broadband is made available by telecommunications companies, wireless service providers, cable providers and other Internet providers."

The MBCC is led by Jim Barksdale, the former CEO and president of Netscape, and includes more than 150 industry leaders, community representatives, state agencies and broadband users.

High-speed Internet connections could be especially important to the Delta.

Continue reading at Delta Business Journal

Register now for NACDEP pre-conference workshop "E-commerce and More: Community Development through Digital Engagement"

If you are attending the upcoming National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals conference, consider joining us for the National e-Commerce Extension Initiative pre-conference workshop focusing on using digital technology to engage your local community and businesses.

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The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative Awards More Mini-Grants

On August 8, 2011 the Initiative's advisory board selected two mini-grant applicants and one educational resource applicant to receive funding for their e-commerce activities.

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Getting Connected

Mississippi is getting on the broadband wagon. While currently Mississippi residents have the lowest broadband (high speed) Internet usage rate in the country—about 60 percent—the Mississippi Broadband Connection Coalition (MBBC) aims to help more Mississippians get high-speed Internet connections.

Read More

Building Quality e-Commerce Educational Resources to Support Extension Programming

The Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), in partnership with NIFA/USDA and the Regional Rural Development Centers, is pleased to announce a new round of funding for its e-commerce competitive grants program.

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The Initiative's Role in Rural Broadband Adoption Featured in Choices

Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm and Resource Issues releases a themed issue, with Guest Editor James Barnes, focusing on broadband expansion into rural areas. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the United States will spend almost $12 billion dollars to develop infrastructure and provide education to encourage rural adoption of high-speed Internet or broadband.

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e-Commerce Trainings

News Archive

Information

The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative has concluded the 2009 fall Webinar Series. These Webinars were designed for Extension educators, economic development professionals and other interested parties who have a desire to work with local leaders, citizens, and organizations to build a strong, vibrant plan for introducing and effectively using broadband in their communities. The Fall 2009 Webinar Series spotlighted newly developed online learning curricula. Participation in the Webinar Series was highly recommended for those Extension Educators interested in applying for the Implementation Mini–Grants Program.


Recent Webinar Series (2009)

A Beginner’s Guide to e-Commerce:
Easy Tools for Profit
October 29, 2009 (Archived Webinar)

Web site Basics: A Primer for Hispanic
Small Businesses
November 19, 2009 (Archived Webinar)

Marketing Food Specialty Products Online
December 3, 2009 (Archived Webinar)

Electronic Retailing: Selling on the Internet
December 10, 2009 (Archived Webinar)


For more information and archives on the Webinar Series, please visit our Webinar page.