Pittsburgh I-Net Home Page

I-Net Proposal in Pittsburgh -- History and Status

The Original Proposal & Its Approval by the Pittsburgh Cable Communications Advisory Committee

In the Fall of 1998, Carl Redwood, Program Director at the Kingsley Association and a member of the City's Cable Communications Advisory Committee, presented to the Committee a proposal for an I-Net. Mr. Redwood had previously helped establish a community access computer/Internet site at the Hill House Association, where people could come for training and to use computers and the Internet. The Hill House Community Access Network also helps other groups in the neighborhood gain access to the Internet.

The proposal addressed the need to expand access to advanced telecommunications services, such as high-speed access to the Internet, to the City's neighborhoods – outside the concentrations of downtown businesses where traditional telecommunications providers focus their investments. The proposal was aimed at gaining access for the following:

-- Community centers, such as Hill House, where ordinary residents can get access, and

-- Institutions, such as schools, libraries and City government, that have buildings dispersed throughout these same neighborhoods.

The proposal sought a requirement in TCI's new franchise agreement for the construction of a discrete, two-way fiber optic network City for the use of the community groups and institutions.

The Cable Communications Advisory Committee approved the proposal on November 9, 1998. The proposal was approved as follows:

The City should require TCI to provide for the construction of a discrete, two-way Institutional Network (I-Net) that links city facilities, schools, libraries and community centers for communication, educational and Internet services. The I-NET should utilize fiber optic cable to I-NET user locations. All available bandwidth on the I-NET would be allocated at the discretion of the City and could include cable video programming and Internet. At a minimum there should be provision for one I-NET distribution / drop point in each of Pittsburgh’s 88 neighborhoods. All basic and expanded basic cable services and full Internet access should be provided over the I-NET without charge.

Community Working Group Meetings

February 10, 1999
Redwood later joined with Rick Flanagan of the Bloomfield Garfield Corporation, another community development corporation, to make sure the community's needs are heard by the City's negotiating team. Their efforts resulted in a February 10, 1999 meeting with City Council persons Dan Cohen and Jim Ferlo and representatives of community groups, the school district and the Heinz Foundation. Councilman Cohen described the franchise renewal process and identified some of the issues the City was addressing -- including a limited I-Net for municipal buildings. Cohen also stated that "community access" is important and that no one should be left out of the benefits of the system's upgrade.

Redwood and Flanagan described their efforts at creating the East End Community Access Network and the need for the Internet access that an I-Net could provide. They recommended that the City seek a system that serves the school district's 90 buildings and access points in each of the City's 88 neighborhoods. Representatives of other community groups, such as the Mt. Washington CDC, Oakland Planning and Development and the SPURT Neighborhood Employment Center also discussed the community's need for Internet access. Richard Wertheimer of the Pittsburgh School District acknowledged the needs of schools and the community that could be served with such a mechanism. Gerald Balbier of the Heinz Foundation supported the group's efforts and encouraged them to meet further to develop a coherent proposal for the City's negotiating team.

Further Working Group Meetings
The Working Group held a series of additional meetings on February 19 and March 8 to develop a proposal. Representatives of additional community groups attended, including representatives of the library system and the Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania.

April 7, 1999 -- I-Net Working Group meeting at Jewish Healthcare Foundation, including representatives of more than ten local health care providers.

April 8, 1999 -- Meeting with City's technical consultant, Columbia Telecommunications Corporation and City representatives. City asked I-Net Working Group to develop a proposal for its review.

April 14, 1999 -- I-Net Working Group meeting at Heinz Endowments. Representatives of City, School District, Carnegie and community groups discussed draft proposal.

Further Versions of the I-Net Proposal

Extendable I-Net Memorandum presented at April 8, 1999 meeting with City.

April 16, 1999 Draft Proposal.

Letter to city leaders submitting the April 16 Proposal.

I-Net Diagram for April 16 Proposal in GIF and PDF formats.

Next Scheduled Meetings

Community Meeting
April 29, 1999
6:30 p.m.
Hill House Association
1835 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh