WISPA Endorses the Digital Literacy “best practices” site to facilitate digital inclusion programs
Dallas, TX (November 1, 2010) – Through a partnership between WISPA, the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, and Net Literacy, a nationally recognized nonprofit that increases digital inclusion, WISPA members will gain new resources to help reduce the digital divide in communities that they serve.
“WISPA works to promote the development, advancement, and unification of the wireless Internet service provider industry,” said WISPA Executive Director Rick Harnish, “and we believe it important that ISPs assume a leadership role in helping to reduce the digital divide throughout America. First by providing broadband in many areas where Americans were offline and now by providing our membership access to Net Literacy’s nationally recognized content and programs, WISPA is helping Americans come online. By a vote of the Board of Directors, Net Literacy was named a WISPA Advisory Member and WISPA has endorsed Net Literacy’s new Digital Literacy ‘best practices’ site where digital inclusion best practices are available to help ISPs, municipalities, and nonprofits increase broadband adoption.” WISPA promotes and supports industry-wide communications, coordination, and cooperation between wireless organizations and has made engaging population groups with low broadband use a priority through its selection of Net Literacy.
“Net Literacy is proud to work together with WISPA to help increase broadband adoption and will provide WISPA members complete access our original content that ranges from computer to Internet safety training programs that helps users effectively and safely enjoy the riches and resources available via broadband,” said Daniel Kent, Founder and Vice President of Net Literacy. The WISPA-Net Literacy partnership demonstrates that WISPA is an organization whose membership has made giving back to the communities they serve a priority. A beta version of our new Digital Literacy ‘best practices’ website is at (www.digitalliteracy.org) and Miles Design (www.milesdesign.com) was selected to construct the final version which will ultimately contain thousands of digital inclusion best practices from around the world.” ISP organizations representing over 200,000 Internet organizations in five continents have endorsed the Digital Literacy ‘best practices’ site.
About WISPA:
WISPA (www.wispa.org) works to promote the development, advancement and unification of the wireless Internet service provider industry. The trade association’s goals include:
- Encourage Congress and the FCC to write laws that support the survival and success of community-based wireless Internet service providers (WISPs).
- Provide online technical forums that enable and encourage the sharing and exchange of information between all the members of the WISP community.
- Demystify government rules and regulations.
- Publicize, promote, demonstrate and maintain a Code of Ethical Business Practices.
- Promote and support industry-wide communication, coordination and cooperation between local WISP organizations, national WISP organizations, community wireless organizations and wireless industry vendors.
WISPA has a mailing list for Canada and for each of the fifty US states. These lists are maintained to foster communications between local WISPs and with state and college officials to discuss legislative issues, interference, peering opportunities and other information. For additional information regarding all of the benefits of membership, visit the WISPA website at www.wispa.org.
About Net Literacy:
Net Literacy’s (www.netliteracy.org) programs have been endorsed by ISP trade associations representing over 200,000 Internet companies in five continents. In April, 2009, Net Literacy was selected by the European Union’s Study on Digital Inclusion as one of the 91 ‘most promising good practice initiatives’ based upon an investigation of the EU Member States, the United States, Canada, India, and other countries. In April, 2010, the FCC cited Net Literacy’s programs in the National Broadband Plan presented to Congress, including programs that teach senior citizens computer and Internet skills (www.SeniorConnects.org), programs that teaches K-12 students and underserved population groups (www.CommunityConnects.org), and its youth empowered volunteer model (www.DigitalLiteracyCorps.org). A beta version of the www.DigitalLiteracy.org ‘best practices’ website was launched in September, 2010, a production version will be completed prior to yearend and will eventually include thousands of digital literacy and digital inclusion best practices from around the world.
