Maine Telecommunications Education Access Fund
Advisory Board

Meeting Minutes for February 27, 2002

 

Members Present:             Phil Lindley, Joanne Steneck, Bill Black, Gary Nichols, Greg Scott, Barry Crommett, Gerry Dube, Scott Thibeau, Reginald Palmer

 

Members Absent:            Barry McCrum

 

1. Approval of Minutes from January 24, 2002, meeting.

 

2. Status of Connections.  Barry Crommett reported that standard 56 connections have decreased, to 507 (2 applications pending).  T-1 connections are up to 415 (9 pending applications).  ATM is unchanged at 54 sites for "reimbursement" (65 including shared).  Barry also said that when sites are converted to ATM, connections for any shared sites are disconnected.

 

3. Status of Internet Service.  Gerry Dube, UNET, reported that there are no known problems currently with the network, although the recent mini-ice storm caused some circuit and power outages that affected MSLN.  While the internet connections have grown, resulting in less “headroom”, Gerry said that they were upgrading circuits.  RFPs have gone out for a second OC3 circuit (155.52 Mbps).  He also stated that connections to Internet II have the potential for serving the MSLN sites’ connections to other Internet II sites which would decrease the load on the Internet I MSLN circuits.  The cost impact to MSLN would be negligible prior to 6/30/03.  Gerry said that he is continuing to evaluate filtering products and has two good candidates.  One of the main goals of a filtering product is effective distributed management, i.e. local control.  Pricing will be by ranges of numbers of machines (MSLN = 65,000 machines, before laptops).  Gerry also commented on the need for more IP addresses and the extensive documentation required.

 

4. Federal E-Rate Status.  Edna Comstock reported that she had received a letter regarding the year four consortium application.  It will probably be funded after the last wave.  She has to complete a validation process recently sent by SLD.  Still no word on when the funds will come through.  We also discussed the reimbursement process for UNET and ATM connections.

 

5. MLTE.  Joanne Steneck said that we are still waiting for the legislature to make final decisions and that there are nine demonstration schools.

 

6. Innovative and Technologically Advanced Grant Program.  Linda Lord reported, by email, that the seven finalists: UNET; Bangor Public Library; the Maine State Library; SAD 39 - Buckfield; SAD 59 - Madison; SAD 4 - Guilford; and the Penobscot River Educational Partnership, a Professional Development Network (Orono area) have each submitted a final Innovative and Technologically Advanced grant application.  The same team will review the final applications and report back to the board at the next meeting.

 

7. Other.

 

·        LD 1471, a bill that funds (for two years @ $500,000/ year) a “digital library” at the University of Maine and adds the term “content” to the MTEAF statute – Gary Nichols said that the final bill was waiting on the “table.”

 

·        Board Membership – Short discussion about the makeup of the advisory board.  Scott Thibeau is not currently a member of an ISP.  The rule seems to be clear, but for now the consensus was to ask Scott to remain on the board.

 

·        Next MSLN Advisory Board Meeting – April 10, 2002, 1:30PM, Conf. Room C.