About the Broadband Changed My Life^TM Campaign

On June 21 the Alliance for Public Technology officially launched its Broadband Changed My Life^TM Campaign. In order to foster affordable, universal access to high-speed networks and services, a national broadband policy must be put in place. The campaign's goal is to encourage broadband deployment and adoption in the United States and to raise awareness of the benefits of advanced broadband in today's world.

The campaign's initiatives include a series of brown bag lunches devoted to the life changing impact of broadband access for various constituencies, the updating of APT's broadband case studies report and state survey and other educational outreach efforts. APT also ran a contest with cash prizes for the best stories about how broadband has changed people's lives. The judges are making their selections now.

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» About the Campaign Director

Broadband Changing Lives...

Here's a sample of recently submitted stories:

• Cynthia: "I use Google to research the historical novels I write. While online research cannot completely replace books, its ability to offer images previously unavailable to scholars without painstaking, expensive searches seems invaluable." Read more...
  
  
• Marian from UT: "Broadband has changed my life by bringing peace and serenity to our home. With my family now mostly grown up, we usually have at least four computers logged on to the internet at the same time, sometimes more." Read more...
  
  
• Cindy from CA: "Broadband internet has helped tremendously, for several of my prerequisite nursing classes are available online. This has freed up countless hours. Instead of scrambling for daycare and driving to and from the college campus, I can sit outside with my laptop, and wireless router, watch my children play as I am attending classes!" Read more...
  
  
• Lisa from WV: "Thank goodness for my high speed internet. I was able to find several legitimate work at home opportunities and now am happily working from home. I set my own schedule and I have so much more time to enjoy the "little things" that make life worthwhile." Read more...
  
  
• Pat from WA: "Broadband has allowed me to learn with distance learning. I am currently enrolled in a "Court Reporters" training online. It allows me to teach others what I have learned through broadband." Read more...
  
  
• Stephen from NC: "So here I sit now, typing this story in my dorm room at Appalachian State University. I can't say that I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the internet, and a quick broadband connection to boot, but I assure you the gateway of possibilities broadband opened should not be ignored: an increase in academic studies, social growth, and even artistic expression." Read more...
  
  
• Jen from CA: "I quit my full-time writing gig when our first daughter was born, but with the internet in place and the speed of broadband, my writing career was far from over. From my home office, I've been able to regularly supplement my husband's regular income." Read more...
  
  
• Joanne from NV: "My relationship with my granddaughter is closer because of Broadband. Think about it. I'm 68 years old and getting a myspace page." Read more...
  
  
• Andrew from CA: "Have you ever tried to do a full Linux system update on dial-up? It's just plain painful to watch." Read more...
  
  
• Joanne from MO: "Getting broadband has allowed me to stay in my home and work part-time from home. Living in a small community with no public transportation and not being able to drive on the highway, it has made it possible for me to keep my home, pay my bills and live independently." Read more...
  
  
• Vinnie from Rhode Island: "Last week with my wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren present, I accepted a pair of Associate in Science Degrees at Washtenaw Community College (WCC), Ann Arbor, MI. This would not be so extraordinary save for the fact we all live in Rhode Island." Read more...
  
  
• Phil from Kentucky: "Because our babies came much much earlier than expected they were all in very critical condition, and everything happened fast. Because we had broadband, we were able to send and receive messages like lightning, and to have people praying for us and knowing what was going on with us 2000 miles away." Read more...
  
  
• Chris from Ohio: "A few years ago, I realized that my life was being drawn toward Ministry. I soon realized that an education would be in order. There was an obstacle to reaching my destination. How could I go to school and earn a degree in ministry unless I picked up my family and moved to a Christian college?" Read more...
  
  
• Ann from Georgia: "I'm a visual artist with a website that I use as an online gallery to display my paintings. Broadband allows me to transfer larger image files to galleries and customers faster, saving us all huge amounts of time and expense." Read more...
  
  
• Ragani from Wisconsin: "My goodness, I never thought I'd be writing the praise of computer technology! In the 80's I lived without any television, and I still don't own a cell phone or microwave. But I'm thankful (daily!) for broadband!" Read more...
  
  
• Diane from California: "Broadband gave me wings. I am a physically disabled pastor in a all rural area. Broadband let me compare, spec and purchase a power wheelchair. Since my insurance won't pay, saving $3000 was very important to me." Read more...
  
  
• David from Alabama: "The Year was 2000. My wife had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Cancer. We did a lot of research over the internet on her condition and treatments. We did find out enough information to ask questions." Read more...

All entries are posted as submitted to APT through the Broadband Changed My Life^TM contest. APT makes no claim and is not responsible for authenticity, accuracy, or originality of submitted content. Please contact apt@apt.org to alert administrator of questionable content.

This Campaign was inspired by APT's report Achieving Universal Broadband: Polices for Stimulating Deployment and Demand that was released earlier this year. The APT report identifies the critical need for universal broadband, examines gaps in current policies and recommends a number of reforms that would promote the ubiquitous deployment of and access to high speed networks and services.