Presentation of the 2012 “Broadband Advocate & Champion Award” to Sen. Terry Moulton (State Senate District 23) for leadership in saving the $32 million dollar federal broadband grants.

Eau Claire, Wisconsin—On February 13, the Chippewa Valley Inter-Networking Consortium (CINC) presented its 2012 “Broadband Advocate & Champion” award to Wisconsin Sen. Terry Moulton (State Senate District 23) for leadership in saving the two federal broadband grants totaling $32 million this past June when they were nearly terminated by the Joint Finance Committee.
The award was presented by University of Wisconsin Colleges and UW-Extension Chancellor Ray Cross, and Ross N. Wilson, Director, Educational Technology Services CESA 10 and chair of CINC.
“Senator Moulton has been an unwavering advocate of CINC, of community area networks, and of our federal grant project to expand the network to underserved rural areas and small towns,” said Ross Wilson. “This honor is truly deserved for efforts that were nothing short of heroic to save our federal grant award that will benefit 39 Wisconsin communities and 182 institutions including rural and underserved critical access hospitals and clinics, and libraries and schools statewide.”
The award was presented at a CINC celebration event in Eau Claire to recognize the hard work of supporters and partners that have made possible community trainings, access points, connections of Community Anchor Institutions and 150 miles of network construction that are currently underway. CINC is a state and national model of community area networks for broadband serving the public interest.

From left to right: University of Wisconsin-Extension and Colleges Chancellor Ray Cross, Sen. Terry Moulton (S23) and Ross N. Wilson, Director, Educational Technology Services CESA 10 and chair of CINC.

Since 2010, CINC has worked closely with the federally-funded statewide broadband project, led by U Wisconsin-Extension, expanding broadband and WiMax capacity throughout the broader Chippewa Valley region. These efforts have rapidly expanded new technologies and services to citizens, reduced costs to health care, city and county municipalities, saved millions in taxpayer dollars, and expanded access to many small town and rural public schools that would not otherwise be able to afford advanced broadband.