U.S. UCAN issued a call for participation in December, 2011, for the pilot phase of a new affiliate program where participating states will designate affiliate organizations who act as primary contact points for local community anchor institutions (CAIs). Approximately five affiliates will be selected for the pilot phase, and will work with U.S. UCAN to define and provide the kinds of support, guidance, direction, and services to be offered to CAIs. [ more ]

The United States Unified Community Anchor Network (U.S. UCAN) is a new national project dedicated to connecting community anchor institutions, including public libraries, schools, community colleges, research parks, public safety and health care institutions with advanced broadband capabilities. Utilizing the Internet2 Network and in collaboration with regional research and education networks across the country, U.S. UCAN will enable these anchor institutions to serve their communities with telemedicine, distance learning and other life-changing applications.

U.S. UCAN is being established under the auspices of a federal stimulus grant to Internet2 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). Internet2 is a non-profit organization that has provided high-capacity, high-performance networking for the U.S. research and higher education community since 1996. The BTOP grant enables Internet2 to dramatically increase its bandwidth and footprint to accommodate the connection of the nation's estimated 200,000 community anchor institutions, unlocking for the citizens they serve next-generation Internet-based applications that promise to provide a whole range of new possibilities—and new economic opportunities.

U.S. UCAN will ensure that all the necessary bridges are built to connect the various community anchor sectors and provide programs tailored to their needs and their public.

See About U.S. UCAN for more details.