Frequently Asked Questions

The Washington Post
By: Chris Velazco

Updated Thu, August 8, 2024 at 1:17 PM EDT·5 min read

The end is in sight – for Windows 10, anyway.

It’s been nearly a decade since Microsoft first launched its popular Windows 10 operating system, and to this day it remains widely used. That’s even true compared to the software meant to replace it, according to the web traffic analysis firm Statcounter. But nothing lasts forever, not even good software.

On Oct. 14, 2025, Microsoft will officially end public support for Windows 10 – that means no more software updates, security patches, or technical support for your Windows 10 computer, no matter how well it still works. And to make that clear to some of its users, Microsoft has trumpeted the change with full-screen notices that appear when a person turns on their PC.

Don’t worry: If you’re using a Windows 10 PC right now, it’s not going to magically stop working next year. But now’s not a bad time to start thinking through your options for when Microsoft does officially put Windows 10 out to pasture.

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Just update your computer

If your computer is eligible to upgrade to Windows 11, doing so is your easiest and likely safest option.

Windows 11 has been around for nearly three years now, and a steady cadence of updates have ironed out early issues and added new tools. There’s a learning curve, to be sure, and some users have reported that Windows 11 can feel slower than Windows 10, but taking the path of least resistance here isn’t a bad option.

To check if your PC is ready for Windows 11, download and run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app (at support.microsoft.com).

Unfortunately, some people (myself included) don’t have the option to upgrade. That’s because Windows 11 needs to see certain security features in place before you install it – features that didn’t always come standard on Windows 10 PCs.

Naturally, some talented software folks have figured out ways around this requirement, and Microsoft has tacitly acknowledged that you can install Windows 11 even if your computer doesn’t technically meet the minimum requirements.

That said, the company says that if you go down this route, “your PC will no longer be supported and won’t be entitled to receive updates” – which kind of defeats the purpose of the update entirely.

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Ride it out with Windows 10

Your computer will still work normally on Oct. 14, 2025, and in the days that follow. It’ll do just about everything it did before, too, short of installing new Windows updates. And if you really wanted to stick to what has worked for you, well, you certainly can.

Just be aware that your computer will no longer receive new features, and that in the long run, some of the companies that make the apps you rely on may drop support for Windows 10 as well.

You may also be an easier target for malware and bad actors. If you use your computer’s built-in Windows Defender software, you may want to consider alternatives like Malwarebytes that will continue to get updates. But even that might not be enough, some experts say.

“Trying to secure an outdated operating system is hopeless,” said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer of the Finland-based cybersecurity group WithSecure. When new patches and updates are released for Windows 11, he says attackers will reverse-engineer those releases to see if the same vulnerabilities exist in Windows 10 as well.

“Most of them will, and users running Windows 10 will be attacked,” he added.

If you’re a Windows 10 die-hard, you might have one more option. Late last year, Microsoft announced that it would offer extended service updates to regular consumers the way it does for businesses and schools that aren’t in a position to upgrade. Those businesses and schools have to pay annually for those updates, and it’s not yet clear what – if anything – Microsoft will charge the rest of us.

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Buy a new computer

If you’re one of those people whose current PC simply won’t play nice with Windows 11, it might be worth considering buying a new computer outright.

At The Washington Post’s Help Desk, we’re big fans of holding on to our devices for as long as possible. That said, this is actually a pretty good time to be looking for a new computer anyway – Windows-powered “AI PCs” are having a moment, and the models we’ve tested have offered great performance and battery life.

If you’re on a tighter budget, though, or are only begrudgingly looking for a replacement computer, consider buying refurbished Windows 11 PCs straight from manufacturers. Marketplaces for used gadgets like Back Market can be great places to find deals too, though it can be trickier to find machines already running Windows 11.

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Ditch Windows altogether

Okay, fine – most people really shouldn’t bother with this option. But if you’re trying to breathe new life into an older PC and you’re not wedded to Windows anyway, installing a lightweight, alternate operating system could give you a few extra years of use.

In the past, we’ve found success with ChromeOS Flex – free software from Google that basically turns your computer into a dedicated web-browsing device.

It’s limited, for sure, and won’t offer the same level of software flexibility as Windows, but it managed to turn a $100 test laptop we bought on eBay into a lean, mean Chrome and Google Docs machine.

If you’re really willing to veer away from Windows, there’s always Linux – distributions like Mint and Ubuntu are relatively easy to get started with, and you’ll find a wider variety of apps and services to lean on compared to ChromeOS. (They’re also totally free, which doesn’t hurt.)

These different operating systems can be fascinating to learn and live with, but you’ll need a certain appetite for mucking around with your tech to really benefit from them.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROANE YOUTH PROVIDE SMARTPHONE TRAINING
Volunteers from Roane County’s Youth Leadership Class of 2024 and Harriman nonprofit Digital Smart will be conducting a free smartphone training class in July. The class, geared to novice and intermediate smartphone users, will be held July 11 at Morrison Hill Christian Church in Kingston from 10 am to 11:30 am.

The training will help smartphone users unlock more of the potential of their phones,” according to Ernest Cherbak, class mentor with Digital Smart. Students will learn how to text, set up passwords, send photos, and other activities using their smartphones, Cherbak said.The class will be taught by members of the Roane County Youth Leadership Class of 2024 as one of four community service projects the class choose to work on.

The class members are really excited to be able to serve their community in this way, said Kathy Parks, program director of Roane County Youth Leadership. “It’s part of becoming a leader,” she said.
Young people are very knowledgeable about the capabilities of their smartphones, according to Abby Stout, 2024 lead class member and one of the class instructors. She said she is looking forward to sharing her knowledge.

Sign up for the upcoming smartphone training classes below.

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, and Heartland Forward worked on a new planning and capacity-building program to help Tennessee communities leverage historic broadband infrastructure funding for community-driven broadband expansion.

The Tennessee Broadband Accelerate program helped local governments throughout Tennessee receive expert support as they prepared to leverage new dollars that have been made available through the historic passage of the federal infrastructure program. The opportunity is made possible through the financial support of Heartland Forward and its Connecting the Heartland initiative.

Local units of government – particularly at the county level – were encouraged to apply to receive expert support offered as part of an intensive 16-week community engagement program, designed to help communities apply broadband funding to create sustainable broadband access. Six community teams were selected to participate in the first cohort. Roane County was one of the six community teams selected to participate.

Roane County Team Members Included:
Jake Anderson, Cory Jenkins, Tony Beyer, Shannon Kamer, Wayne Best, Allen Lutz, Randy Childs, Debra Saner, Ken Clinton, Derrick Sims, Dina Davies, Jessica Smith
Glenn Gabriel, Brad Taylor, Ron Gregory, Hugh Willett, Tim Handler

CLICK HERE for the final presentation of information.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 30, 2024

ROANEnet, a Harriman, TN-based 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to improving digital literacy, has received a grant from the state to provide computer training to citizens of Roane and Rhea Counties.

ROANEnet will receive $254,079.00 for digital literacy training, according to a press release from the office of Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter.

The state will award $162.7 million in broadband and digital opportunity grants that will provide broadband access and digital opportunity programs to more than 236,000 Tennesseans across 92 counties.

“Broadband is essential to all Tennesseans, and that’s why we are making strategic investments in our state’s broadband infrastructure and digital opportunity programs to create a pathway to education, job training, and greater opportunity statewide,”  Lee said.

“More than $715 million has been invested to expand broadband under Governor Lee’s administration, and we are excited to announce additional funding today that will ensure Tennesseans have access to and benefit from high-speed internet, which opens the door to high-quality job training,” said Commissioner McWhorter.

These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to ensure that all Tennessee residents have access to high-speed internet by 2028 and have opportunities to develop digital skills, access high-quality tech jobs, connect to broadband-enabled devices, and access online learning and telehealth resources.

ROANEnet has been distributing computers to the underserved and conducting digital skills training in Roane County and other East Tennessee communities for more than five years, said Dayle Beyer, Executive Director of ROANEnet.

“The grant money will be used to expand our computer basics training classes and to further our mission of enabling digital inclusion in East TN. We believe every individual in East TN deserves the opportunity to be part of the digital world. Our work is more than providing technology; it’s about opening up a world of possibilities, breaking down barriers, and building connected and empowered communities.” Beyer said.

For more information and scheduling of future computer training classes in Roane and Rhea Counties visit the ROANENET.org website.

By Hugh Willett

Loudon County residents will be able to take advantage of free basic computer training classes to be held at the Loudon County Senior Center.

The classes, which are geared toward seniors and beginners, are being conducted by ROANEnet, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Harriman. Each student that completes the three-hour computer basics class is given a free Chromebook. 

At a recent class, about a dozen students began their training by setting up an email address for those who didn’t have one. Students with more experience helped those who were first-time computer users.

Loudon resident Paulette Griffin is a regular at the Senior Center. She said she signed up for the class to improve her skills and wants to take the more advanced class. “This is the first class I’ve taken and I’m learning things,” she said. “I’d like to learn how to manage my photographs and put together photo books.”

The students were introduced to the Chromebook and basic functions such as sending an email. Basic security including the use of two-factor authentication was explained to the class. ROANEnet executive director Dale Beyer explained to the class why organizing and saving passwords was important.

ROANEnet is able to conduct the classes and distribute the Chromebooks at no charge through government grants and donations including thousands of Chromebooks donated by local school departments.

“ROANEnet’s mission is to bridge the digital divide by helping to improve digital literacy and access to information, education and healthcare content,” Beyer said.

Visit Roanenet.org website or call the Loudon Senior Center at 865-458-5445 to sign up for upcoming classes.

Saving money on your internet and other digital services is crucial for managing your budget. Here are several strategies you can employ to save money.

1. Leverage Free WiFi Locations: Many public spaces such as libraries, cafes, retailers, grocery stores, parks, churches, and community centers offer free WiFi access. By planning your internet usage around these locations, you can save on your data plan or reduce the need for a higher-speed (and higher-cost) home internet plan. This is especially useful for tasks that don’t require a secure connection, like browsing or streaming. Always ensure you are mindful of security when connecting to public networks, avoiding sensitive transactions like banking.

2. Check If You Qualify for the Lifeline Program: This federal program offers a $9.25 monthly discount on internet services to qualifying low-income subscribers. Check if you’re eligible at https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers

3. Explore Internet Provider-Specific Discounts:

• Spectrum Internet Assist: Offers a high-speed internet plan at a reduced rate for qualifying households.
• Xfinity Internet Essentials: A program for low-income families and individuals that provides affordable internet access.
• AT&T Access: Offers discounted internet service to qualifying low-income households.
• T-Mobile Lifeline: A discounted plan for qualifying customers based on their income or if they’re on government assistance.
• Others: Call to ask if your local provider has a discounted internet plan. 

4. Bundle Services: If you’re using multiple services (like TV, internet, and phone), consider bundling them with the same provider to save money. Providers often offer discounts for combined services.

5. Negotiate Your Bill: Don’t hesitate to call customer service and negotiate your bill. Sometimes, mentioning a competitor’s offer or difficulty affording the current rate can lead to discounts.

6. Promotional Offers: Look for promotional offers for new or existing customers. Switching plans within your current provider or to a new one might lock in lower rates for a period.

7. Purchase Your Modem and Router: Monthly rental fees for modems and routers can add up. Buying your own devices can be a one-time expense that pays off over time.

8. Opt for a Lower Speed Plan: If your internet usage is low, consider downgrading to a lower-speed plan that costs less. Ensure the speed meets your essential internet use.

9. Ask About Special Discounts: Some providers offer discounts for students, seniors, military personnel, and other groups. Even if the discount is not advertised, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

10. Use Streaming Apps Instead of Traditional TV Services: With the vast array of streaming services available, consider canceling your traditional TV service. Platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and others can provide a wealth of entertainment at a fraction of the cost. Evaluate your viewing habits to subscribe only to the services you honestly watch.

11. Utilize an HD Antenna for Free Local Channels: For local news, sports, and more, consider using an HD antenna. A one-time purchase can grant you access to free broadcast channels in your area. This can be a great way to keep up with local content without ongoing costs.

In today’s digitally-driven world, technology rapidly evolves, often leaving older desktops, laptops, and monitors collecting dust in the corners of our homes and offices. However, these devices, which may seem outdated to some, can be a treasure trove for others when donated to a computer refurbisher like ROANEnet.

Turning E-Waste into Opportunities

Donating your old computers and monitors to a computer refurbisher reduces electronic waste and plays a crucial role in bridging the digital divide. Refurbishers skillfully restore these devices, giving them a new lease on life and making technology accessible to those who might otherwise be left behind in our increasingly digital world.

Benefits of Donating Your Old Technology

1. Environmental Impact: Donating to refurbishers significantly reduces e-waste, one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally. Recycling and reusing electronic components can minimize the harmful environmental impact of discarded technology.
2. Educational and Employment Opportunities: Refurbished computers often find their way to students and job seekers who need them for education and employment opportunities. Access to technology can be a game-changer in learning and career development.
3. Supporting Local Communities: Many refurbishers work with local non-profits, schools, and community centers, ensuring that your donated device supports your local community directly.
4. Tax Benefits: Most donations to certified refurbishers are tax-deductible. Not only are you helping others, but you could also receive a benefit during tax season.
5. Data Security: Professional refurbishers ensure that all data is securely wiped from devices, protecting your privacy and personal information.

Donate Today!

If you have used desktops, laptops, or monitors, consider donating them to ROANEnet. 

Bring your digital devices to our partner, Patterson’s Home Appliances (Midtown Store), during open store hours. M-F: 9am-6pm, Sat: 10am-4pm, Address: 1807 Roane State Hwy, Harriman, TN. 

In today’s fast-paced, digitally-driven world, the ability to access and utilize technology is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity. Yet, in the scenic expanses of East Tennessee, a significant portion of our community remains isolated from the digital world. This is the digital divide – a gap that ROANEnet is passionately working to bridge.

Why Bridging the Digital Divide Matters:

• Empowering Communities: Technology opens doors to endless possibilities. By providing digital access and literacy, ROANEnet empowers individuals and communities in East TN to explore new horizons – from education and employment opportunities to essential services and social connections.
• Enhancing Education and Employment: In an era where education and job markets rely heavily on digital platforms, those who need digital skills are disadvantaged. ROANEnet strives to level the playing field, ensuring everyone has the tools and knowledge to succeed in a digital economy.
• Promoting Inclusivity: Digital exclusion disproportionately affects certain groups, including the elderly, low-income families, and rural residents. ROANEnet’s mission goes beyond technology; it’s about building an inclusive society with equal access to digital resources regardless of age or socio-economic status.
• Improving Quality of Life: From telemedicine to online banking, digital skills enhance the quality of life. ROANEnet helps community members in East TN navigate these essential services, fostering independence and confidence in the digital age.
• Responding to a Pandemic-Era Reality: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical need for digital connectivity. As we adapt to new norms, ROANEnet ensures that our community is included, offering tools and training to thrive in a digitally transformed world.
• Sustainable Community Development: Digital literacy is a cornerstone of sustainable development. By equipping our community with digital skills, ROANEnet is investing in the long-term growth and resilience of East TN.
• Fostering Connection and Community: In a world where distance is bridged by digital means, ROANEnet brings people together, fostering a sense of community and belonging through shared digital experiences.

Join Us in Our Mission:

At ROANEnet, every individual in East TN deserves the opportunity to be part of the digital world. Our work is more than just providing technology; it’s about opening up a world of possibilities, breaking down barriers, and building a connected, empowered community.

Be a part of this transformative journey. Whether you’re seeking to enhance your digital skills, looking to volunteer or wish to support our cause, your involvement makes a world of difference. Let’s bridge the digital divide in East TN, one connection at a time.

Email us for more information at [email protected]

East Tennessee, a region renowned for its natural beauty and hospitable spirit, has challenges. In the heartland of the Volunteer State, a particularly vulnerable population exists: the poor, the isolated, and senior citizens.

1. Bridging the Information Gap

In the rugged landscapes of East Tennessee, access to information can be a game-changer for the disadvantaged. Digital literacy empowers the impoverished to access essential resources like job listings, government assistance programs, and educational opportunities online. It bridges the information gap that often perpetuates poverty, helping individuals make informed decisions about their future.

2. Connecting the Isolated

Isolation can be a harsh reality for many in rural East Tennessee, especially those living in remote areas. Digital literacy opens doors to social connections, allowing isolated individuals to engage in virtual communities, reconnect with friends and family through video calls, and participate in online support groups. These connections foster a sense of belonging and combat feelings of loneliness.

3. Enabling Independent Living for Seniors

Senior citizens are a treasured part of East Tennessee’s rich tapestry. Digital literacy equips them with the skills needed to live more independently. With online banking, grocery delivery services, and telehealth options, seniors can maintain their autonomy and continue to lead fulfilling lives in the comfort of their homes.

4. Access to Critical Healthcare Information

In East Tennessee’s rural areas, healthcare facilities may be miles away. Digital literacy empowers seniors and isolated residents to access essential healthcare information online. They can research symptoms, medication information, and preventive measures, making informed decisions about their health.

5. Learning for a Lifetime

For seniors and the isolated, learning has no expiration date. Digital literacy offers opportunities for continuous education and personal growth. Online courses, webinars, and educational websites allow individuals to explore new interests and stay mentally engaged, regardless of age or location.

6. Access to Community Services

East Tennessee is home to various community services designed to uplift its residents. Digital literacy enables the poor and isolated to access these services more easily. From food banks to mental health resources, knowing how to navigate online platforms can be the key to receiving essential support.

Conclusion

In East Tennessee, digital literacy is a beacon of hope for the region’s most vulnerable populations—the poor, the isolated, and senior citizens. It represents a lifeline to information, connection, independence, and lifelong learning. By prioritizing digital literacy initiatives in the region, we can help level the playing field, ensuring that all residents, regardless of their circumstances, have the opportunity to lead fulfilling lives and participate fully in the modern world. East Tennessee’s spirit of volunteerism and community support can be extended into the digital realm, enriching the lives of those who need it most and fostering a more vital and inclusive region for all.

Computer basics training that includes free instruction and a free Chromebook is available in East TN.

The class is designed for those with no computer experience, said Dayle Beyer, executive director of ROANEnet, a non-profit dedicated to digital equity and access.

“Our goal is to help everyone in the community become digitally literate,” Beyer said.

The three-hour classes are small—usually about a dozen students – and are held on Tuesday afternoons at the Morrison Hill Church. The classes are paced for adults that may have no prior experience with computers.

 “This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to learn how to use a computer for email, sharing photos and other basic tasks,” Beyer said.

Students are given a Chromebook and shown how to set up an email account and log on to the internet. Information is also provided to the students that will allow them to receive access to the internet at a reduced cost.

Stephanie Chambers said she heard about the class from friends in the community. She said she is considering going back to school to study to be an Emergency Medical Technician and wanted to improve her skills.

She said she found the class very useful.

“The instructor was very patient. He answered all my questions,” Chambers said.

Instructor Paul Jackson said the class is geared for those who have never used a computer. Most students catch on quickly to the basic tasks, he said.

“We have the time to work with each student individually if they need help,” he said.

ROANEnet plans to expand the classes beyond basic computer skills to include instruction in job search skills, digital commerce and business tools including word processing and spreadsheets, Beyer said.

About ROANEnet:

ROANEnet, a 501c3 all volunteer-run organization, has been on a mission to sustainably reuse technology, encourage broadband access, and provide digital skills education to create communities that empower people to realize their full potential within East TN.

We solicit used desktops and laptops from individuals and organizations. Our volunteers refurbish them to give them to those in need. We also teach adults computer basics and how to access and utilize the internet safely. We develop alliance partnerships to enable us to achieve our mission. Visit our website for more information: ROANEnet.org

Recently, 10 computers were donated to the @bgctnv, at an event organized by @ATTImpact. @ROANEnet helped provide the computers for this successful donation event.#ATTImpact #NonProfitNetwork #DigitalInclusion #DigitalEquity pic.twitter.com/x6aBl8aTp1

— Digitunity (@digitunity) January 13, 2023

Summer-Ready-Online-Auction starts June 22nd to benefit ROANEnet’s ongoing programs including free computers and computer basics classes.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) provides complete computer systems at no cost, to families and individuals who cannot otherwise afford them and computer basics education to create a community that empowers people to realize their potential. ROANEnet has an ongoing need for funds to continue our computer refurbishment and adult educational programs designed to increase individual access to free computer basics training, free digital devices, and affordable internet subscriptions. Thank you for your support! Your purchase (plus paying for the 2% credit card fee) helps us to keep our programs running all year long.

Auction Details Link

https://web.bidbeacon.com/share/auction.php?code=ROANENET23

These computer basics classes help seniors learn email, google apps, internet security, health and financial tools, and more! Sign up at https://roanenet.org/free-computer-basics-class-for-seniors/

Be a part of something important to your community. ROANEnet, a non-profit organization dedicated to digital inclusion, seeks volunteers to serve on the board of directors. Candidates should have experience in business, technology, education or related fields. Duties include participation in ROANEnet activities, board meetings, and other volunteer activities. Interested parties should email ROANEnet at [email protected]

Harriman, TN — ROANEnet has announced that Lee Garrott has joined the ROANEnet board of directors.

A resident of Roane County, Lee came to East Tennessee from Mayfield Kentucky, and Murray State University with a BS in construction technology.

Arriving in Tennessee in 1974 he worked for TVA for 28 years, retiring from Watts Bar nuclear plant as an industrial safety engineer.  Previously he held positions at the Tennessee Valley Authority, in the construction industry and Shawnee Fossil Plant as a safety supervisor. After retirement he was self-employed.

Lee is married to Susan Hilton Garrott. They reside in the ‘south of river’ community.

“I look forward to serving with ROANEnet as a way to serve those in need and expand my understanding of the digital world,” Garrott said.

ROANEnet Executive Director Dayle Beyer welcomed Garrott as a member of the board of directors.

“Lee brings a wealth of experience to the organization that will be of great benefit to ROANEnet as we continue our mission of digital inclusion,” Beyer said.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust, and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices, and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN.

ROANEnet has announced the winners of the 2021 Student Essay Contest. Winners in each of five categories were notified last week that they will each receive a new Dell Laptop Computer from Comcast and $100.

Contestants, including students from elementary, middle, and high school, college, and Tennessee Reconnect, were asked to submit an essay on the subject of “If I could be anything I wanted, what would I be and why?”

“We had a great response. More than 100 essays were submitted this year,” said Dayle Beyer, Executive Director of ROANEnet.

State Rep. Kent Calfee, who with help from his wife Marilyn judged the elementary school entries, presented the awards to winners at the Roane Alliance Tuesday. Calfee also donated $500 for the cash prizes. Laptop computers were donated by Comcast.

“Marilyn and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the essays and participating in an effort to promote creative writing among Roane County students,” Calfee said.

Winners included Quaid Parker of Kingston Elementary School for his essay on why he would like to be a Blue Angel U.S. Navy Pilot; Sophia Sisson, a home-schooled middle school student, for her essay on why she would like to be a school librarian; Micah Koski, a high school student from Mt. Pisgah Christian Academy, for his essay on why he would like to be a crime scene investigator; Kathryne Reichard from TCAT for her essay on why she would like to be a neonatal nurse and Ariel Kiggins of Roane State Community College for her essay on why she would like to become a cosmetologist.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust, and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices, and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN.

Read all Five Winning Essays HERE.

ROANEnet announced this week that it has received a Roane County United Way Community Enhancement grant in the amount of 1,000.00 for computer parts and licensing expenses.

The Harriman-based non-profit said that the funding will be used to further the organization’s endeavor of providing digital literacy in Roane County.

ROANEnet provides a valuable service to students, seniors, and underserved members of the community, according to Dina Jackson, executive director of United Way of Roane County.

“ROANEnet has shown that there is a need for digital literacy in our county, helping those with transportation issues and for those needing to enhance their workforce skills,” Jackson said.

ROANEnet and United Way share a vision of serving the community, Jackson said.

“Their program addresses the United Way’s focus areas of education/workforce and health. The long-term impact will assist folks in being able to obtain better jobs or perhaps aid in getting medical/mental health services,” she said.

ROANEnet executive director Dayle Beyer thanked United Way for the contribution.

“I want to thank United Way of Roane County for this generous donation to our efforts,” Beyer said.

Beyer said the funding will be used to acquire computer equipment, software, and licenses that will enhance the function of the ROANEnet digital laboratory.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust, and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices, and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN.

Richard Glover has been named Volunteer of the Month of November 2021 for the non-profit ROANEnet.

Richard has been volunteering for ROANEnet since January 2021 to help apply his knowledge and experience serving Roane County.

He is responsible for the management of ROANEnet’s Digital Lab, mentoring desktop support interns and the refurbishing of digital equipment for distribution to the community.

“Richard has been a tremendous asset to ROANEnet and its mission of digital equity,” said Dale Beyer, Executive Director of ROANEnet.

A native of Warner Robbins, Georgia, Richard joined the Army as a Military Policeman where he served for 4.5 years and started college in Northern Virginia.  After earning an AA degree in Criminal Justice, he stumbled upon the path of information technology in 1994 and attended Computer Learning Center. 

After finishing the IT course, the school’s counselor placed him in an intern position at the Executive Office of the President with a local contractor.  He was awarded a permanent position after a year and quickly advanced in the 3 years he was there to lead the server team that provided service to the White House Complex to include the Vice President’s residence. 

Richard then moved to Integrated Data Systems, which was later purchased by the larger ManTech International, providing contract services.  He spent 22 years with ManTech where he held multiple positions working on DoD contracts before retiring in October of 2020 as an Information Technology Scientist.

ROANEnet is always looking for volunteers to help collect and remediate donated equipment, mentor interns and provide support to the organization. Interested parties should apply at ROANEnet.org.

ROANEnet, a Roane County non-profit dedicated to digital inclusion, is sponsoring an essay contest for Roane County students. The winners will receive $100 and a laptop computer.

State Representative Kent Calfee will be one of the volunteers judging the contest and presenting prizes to the winners.

The contest is open to elementary, middle, high school and technical or college students including home schooled students and qualified TN Reconnect students. One winner will be chosen from each category.

The essay should be limited to 500 words and focused on the topic of “If I could be anything, what would it be and why?” CLICK HERE to submit an essay by November 30. Late submissions will not be accepted.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust, and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices, and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN.

(Harriman, Tenn.) November 1, 2021 — ROANEnet announced this week that it has received $2,500 from Comcast to provide education and digital literacy classes at their Comcast Wifi-powered “Lift Zone.”

Earlier this year ROANEnet launched the first Comcast “Lift Zone” community center in Roane County. A Lift Zone offers access to free unlimited high-speed internet and computers for those who, are without high-speed Internet at their home location, have limited data plans to do research, telemedicine, homework, streaming media, or for those who just want another safe place in which to connect with others.

“In 2020, Comcast announced a multiyear program to launch more than 1,000 WiFi-connected ‘Lift Zones’ in community centers nationwide as part of its ongoing commitment to help connect low-income families to the Internet,” said Terry Vo, External Affairs, Comcast. “Lift Zones are a great educational resource for the community.”

“This Kingston Lift Zone is a collaborative project with Comcast and Morrison Hill Christian Church,” said Dayle Beyer, Executive Director of the non-profit ROANEnet. “the funding will be used to provide digital literacy trainers at the Lift Zone to support the needs of senior citizens, disabled persons, and students.”

Located at the Morrison Hill Christian Church campus at 106 Morrison Hill Circle in Kingston, the Lift Zone provides not only free high-speed internet connectivity, but also access to hundreds of free educational and digital skills content such as internet basics, online safety and security, knowledge content, and building new skills.

“The Lift Zone helps families and site coordinators navigate online learning and is monitored by a security content filter blocking access to dangerous and inappropriate websites,” Beyer said

ROANEnet has donated 10 refurbished computers for use at the Lift Zone. Morrison Hill Christian Church is hosting and has volunteers staffing the program, and Comcast is providing the internet connection and online resources.

For more information go to https://roanenet.org/lift-zone-provides-internet-connectivity/ and contact [email protected] for questions on hours and to volunteer.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust, and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices, and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN.

SpaceX Starlink Internet Service May Leave Beta In October – How To Sign Up.
Here is the link to signup for service and you can look at coverage for your location. Starlink

Here is a LiveView of Starlink satellites across the globe.

Live Starlink Satellite and Coverage Map (satellitemap.space)

BY KYLE ENCINA PUBLISHED OCT 30, 2020

SpaceX’s Official Starlink App Now Available On SpaceX’s official Starlink app is now ready to serve Android and iOS users with access to tools that aid in setting up the best internet connection possible. The app also includes a slew of troubleshooting options and internet speed information, among other features. SpaceX founder Elon Musk previously revealed that the company has been busy building over a hundred Starlink satellites on a monthly basis.

With Starlink’s “Better Than Nothing Beta” program underway, SpaceX is making its eponymous app publicly available for smartphone users running at least Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or iOS 11 on iPhone. The App Store page listing describes it as a sort of companion for Starlink customers to help them in setting up the necessary hardware and to properly configure the internet connection. Of course, most of the app’s functions require the smartphone to be connected to the terminal included in the $499 Starlink kit, so users won’t be able to test them out until a working connection is established.

Aside from configuring Starlink internet connectivity, the app can also help subscribers make the most out of the service’s download speed. Another feature is that the app can utilize a smartphone’s camera to check for obstructions that might be interfering with its internet service. Obstructions will be highlighted through the use of a compass displayed in the app. In addition, it will also help users determine the best possible spots to set up the Starlink terminal to ensure optimal performance.

Once connected to Starlink’s broadband network, users can also test their internet speed in the app. Likewise, if Starlink’s internet connection isn’t working properly, the app also gives users access to troubleshooting tools, such as the ability to reboot the connection or contact customer service. The Starlink service might only be available in the northern hemisphere for now, but Musk is planning to extend its reach globally within the next two years. It will be interesting to see if this broader form of connectivity becomes one of the building blocks for the future of eSports and online gaming, given that the speed SpaceX is predicting is already looking promising for gamers.

HARRIMAN, TN — ROANEnet has announced the creation of the Yager IT Internships to be awarded to local students interested in developing their technical skill sets.

Named in honor of digital inclusion advocate and TN State Senator Ken Yager, the internships provide students with resume quality technical skills and hands-on experience.

“I’m honored to be associated with this program that will help students build a foundation for their future studies and career plans,” Yager said.

“The internships will be made available to a limited number of curious and energetic local students passionate about technology who are available to intern with us this school year,” said Dayle Beyer, Executive Director of ROANEnet.

The internships will be managed by ROANEnet’s Technology Academy. Intern activities will include performing needs analysis, design, planning, scheduling, installation, technical support, and customer training.

In addition to professional training under the supervision of IT and communications professionals, the interns will receive a paid stipend of $500 each upon completion of the program requirements.  After 24 hours of intern service an intern will earn a new laptop to keep.

Brad Taylor, owner of Taylor Telecom Solutions and a member of the ROANEnet Board of Directors, will be mentoring students and working with them in-network technology including IP, VOIP, Wifi Access Points, Routers, Modems, Remote Access, Firewalls, and Desktop Security.

“The training is geared for students although the ideal candidate will have taken an introductory networking class,” Taylor said.

Students interested in being considered for an internship can apply by CLICKING HERE

ROANEnet is a Harriman, TN-based non-profit organization dedicated to expanding digital inclusion in East Tennessee. Along with partners in private organizations and non-profits, ROANEnet provides training and equipment to underserved communities through donations grants, internships and refurbishing of donated hardware.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROANEnet is delighted to have received 30 New Dell Latitude 3190 laptops from Comcast to bring more Digital Equity to Roane County, TN.

Digital Equity is a condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy. Digital Equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services.

ROANEnet will give away some of these Dell Laptops to the winners of ROANEnet’s 2nd Annual Essay Writing Contest. This contest will be open to students of ALL ages. (more details coming soon)

Some of these new laptops are available for ROANEnet volunteers to earn with 24 or more volunteer hours. See details at: https://roanenet.org/volunteer/

Thank you, Comcast, for all your efforts to help close the Digital Divide in Roane County.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust, and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices, and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN. Members of ROANEnet involved in this initiative are Dayle Beyer, Executive Director, Egon Hillermann, Director of Technology Access Program, and Richard Glover, CIO.

Comcast (corporate.comcast.com) creates incredible technology and entertainment that connects millions of people to the moments and experiences that matter most. For more information, contact Andres Celedon, Manager, External Affairs, Comcast.

If your school-aged child, K-12 (who lives in and goes to public, private, or is homeschooled in Roane County) needs a computer and you or the residents in your home have NO working computer in your home, ROANEnet has FREE refurbished desktop computer packages available for your child (desktop computer, mouse, keyboard, monitor).
To receive a computer, an adult or guardian of the child must fill out the Computer Package Request Form. Once we receive your request, we will send you an email/text to schedule a day and time to pickup the computer from the ROANEnet Digital Lab in Harriman, TN.

Demand for refurbished computers never been higher.  This is why ROANEnet created the ROANEnet Digital Lab – to create a sustainable way for digital devices to be refurbished and recycled while getting tech into the hands of those who don’t currently have digital access.

As we continue to pursue our mission by providing computers to those in need, we ask that you please donate your reusable desktops and laptops from homes and businesses. These devices are the most essential to our community for accessing the while teleschooling, telehealth, virtual connections, and other critical internet access needs.

Public drop-offs of technology donations are welcomed at two locations: ROANEnet Digital Lab and KUMC Clothes Closet Donation Center.

On February 12, 2021, members of two University of Tennessee – Knoxville (UTK) undergraduate senior design teams, consisting of multidisciplinary engineering and business students and ROANEnet will be testing a low-cost mobile mesh Wifi network in Rockwood, Tennessee.

The goal is for communities to rapidly implement this network for disaster relief, large scale events or use it for neighborhoods that do not have access to a robust, reliable, and affordable broadband internet solution. Lorna Treffert, ISE Graduate Student stated “Both of the senior design teams and I are excited to be working on a project that is so impactful. The digital divide creates social, educational, material, and immaterial inequalities that significantly impact people’s quality of life. Access to a reliable internet connection has become a basic human right and the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on our daily lives has proven this statement as so many jobs and school systems have gone virtual.”

After setting up the network, a large group of students will test the network’s range and capability by replicating a typical load on the system and analyzing the impact of the hilly terrain, ground cover, and houses. The testing signal will be broadcast from the tower at Roane State Community College and communicate with two separate mesh networks: one covering the College Grove Neighborhood and the other around Post Oak Springs Christian Church. The test also includes students connecting to the network with their devices and testing the signal strength and data rate across the test site. The test will serve as a proof of concept for implementing the system in a rural area with challenging topography.

This project was made possible with the generosity and support of the following parties:

• Roane State Community College (www.roanestate.edu)
• UTK Amateur Radio Club – Jim Fletcher
• Richard Glover and Matt Waters, for the use of their drone in LOS Tests
• Russell Brown, for the use of his property
• College Grove Neighborhood Residents
• Post Oak Springs Christian Church
• Signal Power in Chattanooga, TN. Signal Power’s portable LED Light Towers serves as the structural backbone of the design. (https://hybridledlighttower.com)
• Ubiquiti Networks, Ubiquiti Networks provided a generous donation of technology for the network. (https://www.ui.com)

For detailed information and to view the progress of the Mesh Network Project, go to https://roanenet.org/mesh-network-project

Tickle College of Engineering (https://tickle.utk.edu/)

Members of the ISD team include Garrett Galbreath (Electrical Engineering), Matthew Jones (Electrical Engineering), Hans Perry (Supply Chain), Jianjun Xu (Computer Engineering), and Rachel Dylewski (Computer Science). They have worked closely with Doug Zukowski, President of Signal Power, and Dr. Keith Stanfill, the Director of Integrated Engineering Design at UTK. Their advisor is Dr. Husheng Li.

The Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) senior design team is working to develop a business plan to ensure the solution’s economic feasibility, perform a risk analysis for the implementation and operation of the system, and determine the optimal placement of the network within Roane County. Members of the ISE Team include Nathaniel Sexton, Katherine Clayton, Katie Roberts, Kevin McGinnity. The ISE design team advisor is Floyd Ostrowski, and ISE Graduate Student Lorna Treffert is assisting them.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust, and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices, and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN. ROANEnet has been instrumental in establishing contacts in Rockwood’s community and providing on-site support and evaluation of test sites. Members of ROANEnet involved in this project are Dayle Beyer, Executive Director, Egon Hillermann, Director of Technology Access Program, and Richard Glover, CIO.

Instead of expecting more from overburdened schools, local communities are striving to help provide solutions. CONNECT Roane is a community-based volunteer-run program in support of Roane County Schools with a twofold purpose: create an emergency plan for providing internet access to students and a broader goal of providing broadband access to all Roane County households.

The CONNECT Roane initiative is based on a similar program in Knox County called eKnox. Throughout the summer, both groups have met to discuss the need to provide students with the means to continue learning should schools be closed for the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to adopt new models for virtual and in-school learning.

Robust, reliable, and affordable broadband access is a barrier to roughly 30 percent of households in Roane County. With approximately 6,300 Roane County School students and several hundred homeschooled students, we need to work together towards removing this barrier. We believe that with all students having broadband access, our communities will be positively influenced by better health, education, and employment outcomes in the short-term, which leads to economic prosperity for future generations.

There are five communities within the CONNECT Roane program: CONNECT Harriman, CONNECT Kingston, CONNECT Midway, CONNECT Oliver Springs, CONNECT Rockwood. Each community contains related district schools and home schools. Each community has a volunteer Navigator to be the key contact of that community effort and a team of volunteers who live or work in that community. Becky Ruppe ([email protected]) is the Navigator for CONNECT Rockwood. Andrea Hinds ([email protected]) for CONNECT Kingston, Dayle Beyer ([email protected]) for CONNECT Harriman. Scott Mason ([email protected]) for CONNECT Midway. We need a Navigator and volunteers for CONNECT Oliver Springs.

If you believe in your community, please help by joining your community group or donating to the CONNECT Roane gofundme page, https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/connect-roane. We need donations for printing flyers and other communications tools to let parents/guardians know about the various ways to get internet access.

CONNECT Roane champions are the Roane County Chamber (roanechamber.com) community development committee and ROANEnet (roanenet.org), a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices and digital literacy skills training. Please contact ROANEnet for more information about CONNECT Roane at [email protected]. 

ROANEnet (roanenet.org), a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices and training required to enhance the quality of life within Roane County, TN. is conducting a CONTEST to win a FREE HP EliteBook laptop computer donated by Verizon Wireless PLUS $100 for accessories donated by Rep. Kent Calfee.

How to Enter: Any Roane county student who writes a 200-word essay to answer the following question is eligible to win. 

 QUESTION: “I want to win a laptop computer because I will use it to…”

Four laptop computers will be awarded to the best essay from each of the following categories of students: one elementary school student, one middle school student, one high school student, and one 2020 high school graduate.

To enter the contest, email your 200-word essay to [email protected] and include your full name, school and grade as of April 2020, and contact information (email, phone) by July 20th, 2020.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org), a non-profit 501c3 advocate for high-speed internet access for all citizens in Roane county, is conducting a CONTEST to win a laptop computer.

Any Roane county student who writes a 200-word essay to answer the following question is eligible to win one of FOUR HP laptop computers. Answer this QUESTION: “I want to win a laptop computer because I will use it to…”

The four laptop computers will be awarded to the best essay from each of the following categories of students: one elementary school student, one middle school student, one high school student, and one 2020 high school graduate.

To enter the contest, email your 200-word essay to [email protected] and include your full name, school and grade as of April 2020, and contact information (email, phone) by July 20th, 2020.

During these unprecedented times, your local library can be an excellent resource for internet access and to check out electronic books to read. Electronic books do not require you to physically go to the library to check out books nor to be concerned about handling physical books or magazines that may or may not be completely clean.

Check out R.E.A.D.S. – Regional eBook and Audiobook Download System – to read 1000s of popular fiction eBooks/audiobooks through OverDrive. No library card? No problem! It just takes a few seconds to sign up using your mobile number and start borrowing free digital titles. http://reads.lib.overdrive.com

Here is a list of our five libraries with the related contact information. Some libraries have no information posted on their website about current services, so be sure to contact them for details.

Should you not receive any responses from these libraries during this time, please feel free to contact [email protected] for additional assistance.

Updated April 23 at 5:28 p.m. ET

Over the next three months, you may see emails from an unusual source — the U.S. Census Bureau.

While the federal government’s largest statistical agency scrambles to salvage the constitutionally mandated 2020 census, it’s also rolling out a $1.2 million experiment called the “Household Pulse Survey” to try to measure how the coronavirus pandemic is upending life for households in the U.S. Survey questions cover topics such as whether a person is working, has lost income from their job, is experiencing mental health symptoms, is supporting a K-12 child who is learning at home, and whether that child has digital access (computer, internet, etc).

Starting Thursday, 4/23 the bureau is planning to push out a link to an online form through official emails. The messages will be sent from [email protected], the bureau’s chief spokesperson Michael Cook told NPR. If you have been invited to participate in the survey, you may find more information here.

What information will the Household Pulse Survey collect?

The Household Pulse Survey will ask individuals about their experiences in terms of employment status, spending patterns, food security, housing, physical and mental health, access to health care, and educational disruption.  The questionnaire is a result of collaboration between the U.S. Census Bureau and the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The data collected will enable the Census Bureau to produce statistics at a state level and for the 15 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs).  The survey also is designed to be longitudinal:  data will provide insights with regard to how household experiences changed during the pandemic.

When will Data be Made Available from the Household Pulse Survey?

Data collection for the Household Pulse Survey will begin on April 23, 2020.  The Census Bureau will collect data for 90 days, and release data on a weekly basis.  (For the first release, the Census Bureau anticipates it will take two weeks after the first week of data collection to prepare and weight the data; subsequent releases will then be made on a weekly basis.)

How is the Household Pulse Survey Different from Other Surveys Conducted by the Census Bureau?

The Census Bureau and its federal statistical partners are considered the preeminent source of the nation’s most important benchmark surveys.  Many of these surveys have been ongoing for more than 80 years and provide valuable insight on social and economic trends. 

The production of these benchmark surveys is by nature a highly deliberative process.  While efforts are underway to introduce COVID-19 questions into these surveys, that process can take months, sometimes years, before data are made available.  

The approach for the Household Pulse Survey is different:  It is designed to be a short-turnaround instrument that will provide valuable data to aid in the post-pandemic recovery. The Census Bureau is fielding the Household Pulse Survey as a demonstration project that is part of the Experimental Data Product series. 

Rockwood Mayor and Roane County School Board member, Mike “Brillo” Miller has announced that starting Friday, April 17, 2020, Free Wifi will be available outside of the Rockwood City Hall, the Rockwood Public Library and the Rockwood Community Center. See the coverage maps above.

Newly installed technology enables the public to access the city provided free Wi-Fi from the parking lots. “This is going to be a trial & error test that we hope works out for everyone,” said Mayor Miller. The WiFi will have security protection that will not affect nor compromise city computer data.

The hours of availability will be 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. The public will be asked to respect these hours and will be monitored by the police department.

Anyone wishing to connect can visit the city’s website for more information. https://cityofrockwood.com/city-of-rockwood-providing-free-public-wifi-in-time-of-crisis

In addition, the information will be posted on the doors at city hall, the library, and the community center. A password will not be required, but users must understand the connection is firewall protected.

In today’s Roane County news, there is an article about a pending Roane County Comcast Franchise. The truth is that not only is the county’s franchise agreement expired, but each city in Roane County also has an expired Comcast Franchise Agreement.
I don’t watch cable TV and even if was available in my neighborhood, I would stream shows using the internet instead of getting cable anyway. So the Cable TV portion is not what I care about.

What I’m most concerned about is getting the internet to the underserved areas of our county.

Over and over I have been told by Darryl Meadows, chairman of the CableTV Committee, that “we are doing all that we can”. Yet the CableTV committee has only met 3 times in the last 3 years and there are no meeting minutes from a February 6th, 2020 of the CableTV committee available to know what occurred or resulted from that meeting.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, having access to the internet is essential for public safety. If you care as I do about getting the internet to the underserved areas of our county, let your local county commissioner know about your concerns. I’m in District 2 which is served by Mr. Randy Ellis, Mr. Hendrickson (who has blocked me on Facebook) and Mr. Allen Hickman

Now I’m not mad at Mr. Meadows or blaming any of the commissioners for these lapsed agreements. What I want is to trust that the whole of the commissioners and Roane County CableTV Committee are really doing all they can do for their constituents’ needs instead of acting like a turtle on it’s back.

Regarding “we are doing all that we can”, in a quick search on the internet, I very easily found another county that is doing all they can do for their constituents regarding getting internet to underserved areas of the county.
Take a look at how CALVERT COUNTY, MD handled their Comcast Franchise Agreement related to the internet. If they can do create a mutually beneficial relationship with Comcast, I believe our county commissioners can too.

CALVERT COUNTY, MD – RELATED TO INTERNET
“How will the new franchise agreement address unserved areas in the county?”

While the franchise agreement cannot, by law, address internet service, cable TV providers commonly include internet in their set of services. Calvert County worked to get the best possible coverage in the agreement to address areas currently without internet service. The agreement maintains a requirement that service be extended to any area that has at least 15 homes per mile. This density requirement is the lowest density approved in Maryland.
County staff worked with Comcast to identify unserved areas that do not meet density requirements. Four unserved areas have been identified as eligible for build by Comcast.

The County will continue to work with Comcast to find opportunities to make expansion into unserved areas more affordable. While internet service is not covered in the franchise agreement, the County will also pursue options and technologies to address internet coverage in unserved areas.”

Calvert County, MD https://www.calvertcountymd.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=398

By Dayle Beyer / ROANEnet.org

Madison, a 2^nd grader at Bowers Elementary school, Harriman has a new FREE refurbished desktop computer and printer. When asked what she thought of getting this computer package, she gave it a rating of 5 stars which translates to “awesome” for a 2^nd grader. Her mom said “Madison is able to complete her schoolwork from home, print worksheets and coloring sheets. It has allowed us to do online learning throughout the COVID19 pandemic. She is staying on pace and not gotten behind.”

The Doss family also has children in Bowers Elementary and says “We have two girls who are 9 and 7. The girls have really enjoyed being able to do iready on the computer which is a school thing. They’ve also enjoyed being able to use it during this quarantine to be able to video chat with school friends and family. This eases the confinement a bit for them. The girls have been able to research different things they were learning about. They weren’t assigned any science in their homeschool work packets. So, I used it to get some ideas of experiments we could do. We found the egg in vinegar experiment. After conducting the experiment, they used the computer to look up why the vinegar could cause the shell to disintegrate (or melt as the girls say) and we used it to look up PH and acid scale.”

These are just two of the 70 families who have recently received a free refurbished computer package via ROANEnet and our alliance partner, Tellico Village Computer Users Group. We provide these computers packages to families with no working computer in their home. These computers have given aid, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to 160 children in Rockwood, Harriman, Kingston and Oliver Springs.

The high demand for computers has outstripped our supply. While we’re happy to know that most middle and HS students (but not seniors) have a school-provided Chromebook, this leaves out the elementary school students that are not provided Chromebook to take home. That’s about 2,500 K to 5^thgrade students who are now relying on school-provided paper workpackets and a parent/guardian as their primary source of education at home.  

Why is there such a demand for computers? The reality is that some Roane County students don’t have reliable access to the internet and/or a computer at home – particularly those who are from lower-income households. According to Pew Research, roughly one-third (35%) of households with children ages 6 to 17 and an annual income below $30,000 a year do not have a high-speed internet connection at home, compared with just 6% of such households earning $75,000 or more a year. This digital disparity between those who can afford to have computers and online access and those who cannot is called the Digital Divide.

COVID-19 has widened this Digital Divide inequity even more. Not only is it an educational concern but it’s a public safety issue too. If people do not have a way to access the internet, they will certainly not stay in their homes. People who can’t bank, pay bills or shop at home must go out to stores, ATMs, payment centers and mailboxes. Family members who need medical care but can’t use telehealth tools are far more likely to show up at badly stressed emergency rooms and clinics, or else go without care – which could be a deadly choice in this situation.

If you are as concerned as we are about the education of our children and safety of our community then contact your local Roane County Commissioner and ask for their help in Bridging the Digital Divide in Roane County. Go to http://roanecountytn.gov/county-commission/ for your commissioner’s contact information.

In October 2019, ROANEnet, a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for digital inclusion conducted a Digital Device Donation Drive and collected computers, monitors, keyboards, printers, etc. We accepted all device donations even if the equipment didn’t work.

Thank you to our partners who helped us in this drive which were Tellico Village Computer Users Club (TVCUC), Harriman Utility Board (HUB), Harriman, First Christian Church (FCC), Kingston United Methodist Church Clothes Closet, and Patterson’s Home Appliances. And a special thanks goes out to John Shaw, Keith Rodgers, Egon Hillermann for picking up all the digital devices from the donation sites and delivering them to TVCUC.

ROANEnet plans to conduct a Digital Device Donation Drive but we need VOLUNTEERS to help make this happen. If you have a few hours this spring or fall to help with our next Digital Donation Drive, please contact us at [email protected].

Receive, Restore, Redistribute

Receive

In conjunction with our alliance partners, ROANEnet provides the ability for Roane County citizens to donate old digital devices, digital literacy training and FREE refurbished working computer systems to families with no home computer.

During our DIGITAL DEVICE DONATION DRIVE, Roane County individuals and businesses can donate unneeded digital devices such as computers, monitors, keyboards, printers, etc. We will accept device donations even if the equipment doesn’t work. ROANEnet will provide the donor with a receipt for all their digital devices that have been donated.

ROANEnet then picks-up the donated equipment from the donation sites and delivers the devices to our refurbishment partner. 

Restoration and Redistribution

In conjunction with our alliance partner, Tellico Village Computer Users Club, RTAP restores and gives away refurbished computer systems to needy families in Roane County.

All donated computer systems and peripherals are inspected and cleaned, the operating system, all programs, and any remaining personal information is removed from the computer.  A new operating system and basic applications are installed so that a “clean” system can be delivered to a deserving student. 

If your school-aged child, K-12 (who lives in Roane County) needs a computer and you have NO working computer in your home, ROANEnet has FREE refurbished desktop computer packages available (desktop computer, mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer, ink, paper).

Please contact [email protected] to volunteer or become an alliance partner.

ROANEnet ALLIANCE PARTNERS

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:
10:30 AM – March 18, 2020

Philly teachers told to halt remote instruction due to equity concerns

Philadelphia [K-12 public school] teachers may no longer offer remote instruction to students, according to a memo sent by the Philadelphia School District to principals Tuesday night.

“To ensure equity, remote instruction should not be provided to students, including through the internet, technology at home, by phone or otherwise,” said the memo, which was obtained by The Inquirer.

“Students should not be required to complete new assignments or homework activities. Schools may not make independent decisions to provide remote instruction at this time. As guidance and circumstances continue to unfold, we will provide updates as necessary.”

It was unclear how many students would be affected by the edict.

The memo was signed by Naomi Wyatt, the superintendent’s chief of staff, and by Malika Savoy-Brooks, the Chief Academic Support Officer, and cited recent guidance from the state and federal education departments.

“…We may not offer remote instruction to some students unless we can serve all children,” Wyatt and Savoy-Brooks wrote. “As we all know, some of our students have special instructional needs, some lack access to a computer, and some will have responsibility for taking care of younger siblings or older relatives while their parents are at work. As a result, the district is not able to provide remote instruction during the period of school closures to all children.”

Teachers at some Philadelphia schools had been offering optional remote instruction on their own before the edict went out; there was no formal program of instruction. Instead, Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. has encouraged parents to engage children in learning activities during the coronavirus shutdown, and has made learning guides available to families through the district’s website.

— Kristen A. Graham and Maddie Hanna

Social Security offices closed: How to get help with benefits during coronavirus pandemic.

The Social Security Administration is closing its offices throughout the country to protect workers and benefit recipients from the coronavirus pandemic.

The administration closed the offices as of Tuesday, March 17, and is directing beneficiaries to seek online help to resolve any issues. If recipients can’t find help online, they can call.

“This decision protects the population we serve – older Americans and people with underlying medical conditions – and our employees during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,” the SSA said in a statement. “However, we are still able to provide critical services.”

Here’s what you need to know about the Social Security offices shutdown:

How long will it last?

That’s currently unclear. The administration did not specify a projected end date. Like many other establishments, it’s likely dependent upon the course of the pandemic. 

How can I get help with my benefits online?

Go to SocialSecurity.gov/onlineservices. There, you can apply for benefits, check the status of applications or appeals, request a replacement card and obtain other services.

Just have a question? Try visiting the administration’s Frequently Asked Questions page.

Can I talk to anyone on the phone?

You may be able to get someone from your local office on the phone if you can’t conduct your business online. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to get started.

Broadband and wireless companies are signing a “Keep Americans Connected Pledge” at the request of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, to ensure customers in the US aren’t cut off from communications services during the coronavirus pandemic.

Internet and wireless providers will waive late fees and keep Americans connected. This is part of a broader pledge instituted by the FCC and taken by companies like Verizon and AT&T that also opens up free Wi-Fi networks.

AT&T

Coverage map – https://www.att.com/coverage/

• AT&T halts caps on broadband data as coronavirus drives many Americans inside
• COVID-19: Our Response
• For the next 60 days, ATT will:  
  • Not terminate the service of any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small business customer because of their inability to pay their bill due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Waive any late payment fees that any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small business customer may incur because of economic hardship related to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Keep our public Wi-Fi hotspots open for any American who needs them.

To provide further relief and support, AT&T announced:

• Unlimited AT&T Home Internet – All AT&T consumer home internet wireline customers, as well as Fixed Wireless Internet, can use unlimited internet data.  Additionally, we’ll continue to offer internet access for qualifying limited income households at $10 a month through our Access from AT&T program.
• Helping You Work and Learn Remotely – Businesses, universities and schools can keep their teams and classrooms connected through conference calls and video conferencing with Cisco Webex Meetings with AT&T for 90-days, and seamlessly forward calls to both mobile and landline phones with AT&T IP Flexible Reach.
• Distance Learning – AT&T is underwriting expenses for a “one-stop” resource center to support eLearning Days from the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) available to all educators in schools to help them handle school closures and the increase in virtual learning due to COVID-19.

Additional details about these commitments will be available soon.

COMCAST/xfinity

Coverage map – https://www.xfinity.com/locations/in-my-area

Effective 3/16/2020 Comcast Increases Access to and Speeds of Internet Essentials to Support Americans Through Coronavirus Pandemic

• Speeds will increase from 15/2 MBPS to 25/3 for all new and existing customers and will become the speed of the service going forward.
• New families who connect will get 60 days of Internet service for free.
• The Internet Essentials program is normally available to all qualified low-income households in Comcast’s service area for $9.95/month.

VERIZON

Coverage map – https://www.verizonwireless.com/featured/our-network/

On Friday 3.13.2020, Verizon said it will waive late fees for the next 60 days, and keep homes and small businesses connected while they’re “negatively impacted by global crisis.”

SPRINT

Coverage map – https://coverage.sprint.com/IMPACT.jsp?

Sprint signed the FCC’s pledge Friday which involves not terminating residential or small business services due to their inability to pay bills during the coronavirus pandemic; waiving late fees; and opening their Wi-Fi hotspots to all Americans for the next 60 days.

T-MOBILE

Coverage map – https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/coverage-map

T-Mobile announced Friday that it would be providing unlimited data on all mobile plans for the next 60 days. This includes T-Mobile and Metro customers. It will also be providing an additional 20GB of its mobile hotspot service for the next 60 days, and is offering free international calls to any Level 3-impacted nations worldwide.

CHARTER/SPECTRUM Communications

Coverage map – https://broadbandnow.com/Charter-Communications

Charter to Offer Free Access to Spectrum Broadband and Wi-Fi For 60 Days For New K-12 and College Student Households and More

Roane County Public Libraries

Click on the links below for library information

• Kingston Public Library
• Harriman Public Library
• Rockwood Public Library
• Oliver Springs Public Library
• Roane State Community College-Harriman Library

Refurbished COMPUTER PACKAGES for Roane County Students

If your school-aged child, K-12 (who lives in Roane County) needs a computer and you have NO working computer in your home, ROANEnet has FREE refurbished desktop computer packages available (desktop computer, mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer, ink, paper), please fill out the Computer Package Request Form.

ROANEnet (roanenet.org), a non-profit 501(c)(3) advocate for affordable, robust and reliable high-speed internet access, equitable availability of digital devices and digital literacy skills training delivered our first refurbished computer package to a deserving young student.

Today, Savanna Dandron, a 2nd grader at Bowers Elementary, is receiving her free “new” computer package complete with a desktop computer, mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer, ink, and paper. Her mom, Alisha Dandron, said “Thank you so much. This is just in time for my daughter to do her book report she has due next week.”

Tony Beyer, Operations Director at ROANEnet is diligently working to make sure the other 5 families who requested a working computer package will get theirs this week.

If your school-aged child, K-12 (who lives in Roane County) needs a computer and you have NO working computer in your home, ROANEnet has FREE refurbished desktop computer packages available.

Please contact ROANEnet.org for more information at [email protected].

New research identifies promising practices for expanding access to high-speed, reliable internet

Though access to high-speed, reliable internet is an increasingly critical tool for modern American life, the Federal Communications Commission estimates that at least 21 million Americans still lack broadband access. Other counts suggest this number could be as high as 162 million. Although much of the conversation about expanding broadband access has focused on the federal and local levels, states are taking decisive steps to expand this critical service to communities that lack it or are underserved.

State leaders have recognized that broadband is not just a technology, but a key asset that will shape other policy priorities: access to health care, economic development, and distance-learning programs, among others. On Feb. 11, The Pew Charitable Trusts hosted a day-long event unveiling state practices in five categories that are proving effective for expanding broadband:

• stakeholder engagement
• policy framework
• planning and capacity building
• funding and operations
• program evaluation and evolution

To view the entire conversation, click on the link below;

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/events/2020/how-to-bridge-the-broadband-gap-a-conversation-with-state-leaders.

ROANEnet has heard from our partner, National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) that the AT&T Access program created under the terms of AT&T’s 2016 agreement with the FCC in the DirectTV merger will formally be not required to be provided after April 22, 2020.

The AT&T Access program provides wireline internet service at “best efforts” download speeds up to 10 Mbps, at a monthly cost of $5 to $10 depending on the speed. The program was required to be available for four years, with the subscriber during the fourth year guaranteed a full year of service. Based on the date the merger took effect, the four-year obligation apparently ends on April 22, 2020.

After that date, a continued Access program will be voluntary and can take any form AT&T chooses. AT&T staff state that the company intends to continue its Access discount Internet program for SNAP households “in some form” after its obligation to do so expires in April.

Volunteer Energy Cooperative has submitted a grant application to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to bring fiber optic, world-class broadband to homeses in the South Roane County and Ten Mile areas. If you or someone you know lives in the coverage areas in the maps below, please file a public comment in support of VEC. These public comments are extremely important in the scoring of these grant applications. Instructions for filing comments are after the maps.

To file a public comment, follow this link. Midway down the page, there is a tab labeled Public Comments.

After clicking Public Comments, select Community Member. Be sure to answer each question with red asterisk after it. For question 8, select 46 Ten Mile and South Roane Fiber Project.

DIGITAL DEVICE DONATION DRIVE

During Digital Inclusion Week, October 7-11, 2019, ROANEnet will be hosting a DIGITAL DEVICE DONATION DRIVE.

During our DIGITAL DEVICE DONATION DRIVE, Roane County individuals and businesses can donate unneeded digital devices such as computers, monitors, keyboards, printers, etc. We will accept your device donations even if the equipment doesn’t work. ROANEnet will provide the donor with a receipt for all of their digital devices that have been donated during the drive. The equipment we can accept is anything computer-related such as:

• computers
• monitors
• printers
• speakers
• keyboards
• mice
• cables
• parts for computers, etc.  

DEVICE DONATION SITES: These locations have graciously agreed to accept your digital devices during OCTOBER 7-11, 2019 only. In order to get a receipt for your donation, you must go to these sites during business/working hours. These devices will be refurbished and given to those in need.

Harriman Utility Board (HUB) – 200 North Roane Street, Harriman, TN.
HUB has volunteered to become a device donation site for this year’s Digital Inclusion Week taking place October 7-11, 2019. We will accept your old computers, and peripherals, working on not, at our main office between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday, October 7 through Friday, October 11, 2019.

First Christian Church (FCC) – 328 W. Rockwood Street, Rockwood, TN.
Pastor Sunny Ridings has graciously offered to let us use FCC facilities to collect your computer-related donations. Please bring your digital device donations to the Church Office during working hours (9:00 am to 2:00 pm) on Monday, October 7 until Thursday, October 10th. The church office is closed on Friday, October 11.

KUMC Clothes Closet Donation Center – 125 S. Kentucky Street, Kingston, TN.
The Kingston United Methodist Church (KUMC) Non-Profit Thrift and Discount Store has volunteered to become the Kingston Digital Device Donation site. Please bring your computer-related equipment to their store during business hours to receive a donation receipt. The receiving area is on the east/south corner campus building – on the corner of W. Church and S. Kentucky streets.
Monday, 10/7 – 10 am – 5 pm
Tuesday, 10/8 – 10 am – 5 pm
Wednesday, 10/9 – 10 am – 8 pm
Thursday, 10/10 – 10 am – 5 pm

Pattersons Appliances – 2 locations
1090 N. Gateway Ave., Rockwood, TN
1807 Roane State Hwy, Harriman, TN
For almost 55 years, Pattersons Appliances has been committed to being a community player. And ROANEnet is delighted they are able to receive your donated digital devices during Digital Inclusion Week. Please bring your computer-related equipment to either the Rockwood or Midtown store during business hours to receive a donation receipt between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, Monday, October 7 through Friday, October 11, 2019.

Please, NO phones, smartphones, or tablets. Recycle those devices at other locations.

Thanks, RoaneNet

CONTACT US if you need more information about donating and/or want to volunteer for our ROANEnet Technology Access Program.

Chris Mitchell with the Institute for Local Self Reliance interviewed Stacy Evans, the Chief Broadband Officer for BrightRidge, the public electric utility and now broadband provider for Johnson City and the surrounding area.

https://muninetworks.org/content/exploring-eastern-tennessees-brightridge-network-community-broadband-bits-podcast-374

Customers of the local cable and telephone companies that don’t have fiber to the home available and left with no better option for upload speed greater than 20 Mbps are finding out that those speeds just aren’t good enough. Why? Primarily because cloud-based security cameras can chew up 6 to 20 Mbps per camera. 10 years ago, if you had asked me whether or not people would be comfortable uploading their security camera video to a company somewhere in the cloud for storage, I’d have been doubtful. But today, with the prevalence of Ring doorbell cameras and others like the Netgear Arlo outdoor cameras, we appear to have gotten over our trust issues with third parties having access to our cameras. Applications like FaceTime from Apple also use upload bandwidth and as cameras get more powerful, more and more bandwidth will be needed. A single 4K camera running at 15 fps, or frames per second (movies use 24 fps), can use between 15 and 20 Mbps. This extra resolution means that the camera will be able to better detect motion and record better footage both day and night and 8k is right around the corner which will require between 80 and 100 Mbps.

Next on the horizon for home security will be advanced cloud-based video analytics for alerting with home security cameras. Don’t want to be alerted when the camera sees you pull into your own driveway? Want an alert when the brown UPS truck delivers a package? Tired of alerts from your dog, cat, bird or spider deciding to make an appearance on your camera? Want to record the license plates of cars pulling into your driveway? All of this is possible today but the horsepower required to do these analytics is expensive and if you want these features, unless you’re a techie, these services will only be available as a cloud service. Which means that every video stream you send will chew up more and more of that measly 20 Mbps.

For farm businesses, those with great upload speeds will have significant advantages over those without. Aerial surveys of farm acreage can detect patches of land that need watering, or fertilizer or insect remediation but the ability to process that data and react quickly is key. This means that video from drones will need to be uploaded to a cloud service, processed, and the results returned to the farmer within a few hours. Some of these files are upwards of 60 gigabytes and likely to grow as cameras improve. Over a 20 Mbps connection, a transfer of this size would take 8 hours, but most farms around here don’t have anywhere near 20 Mbps. Add to that the time to process the video and get the results back to the farmer and it could be over 24 hours before the issue can be remediated.

Folks working from home have known for years that these upload speeds were barely sufficient. Anyone that’s ever tried uploading a video to Youtube over cable or DSL knows that it can take an eternity. Video conferences are often slow and choppy due to the unreliable latency (jitter) of the connections.

Champions of the free-market telecommunications fairy tail that believe that our current cable and telephone monopolies will solve this upload speed bottleneck are fooling themselves. Except in areas dense enough for a provider to overbuild the local cable company with a fiber to the home network, the cable company has no incentive to increase these upload speeds. To do so over their existing cable(DOCSIS) networks would require them to cut channels from their lineup; channels that generate ad revenue. Increasing upload speeds when there is no financial pressure from competition likely means that they’d rather keep the income-generating channels over the non-revenue generating option of increasing upload speeds.

Fiber to the home is the future and any tax dollars spent subsidizing cable, DSL or wireless technologies is wasteful and means that those companies will be coming back to the well for more tax dollars when those technologies are no longer good enough. Rural communities without fiber to the home will (and are) become retirement destinations for digital Luddites while those with fiber become vibrant, thriving atmospheres that attract young, possibly displaced workers seeking a rural lifestyle and lower cost of living where they can work from home and raise a family and not have to worry about whether or not they have enough bandwidth.

In April, Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced the Internet Exchange Act of 2019 which will help to improve internet access for consumers, especially those in rural areas.
“You can’t have a 21st century education, 21st century healthcare, or a 21st century business without access to 21st century internet,” said Senator Blackburn. “The bipartisan IX Act will make big strides in closing the digital divide in Tennessee by providing internet access to areas with the highest degree of need.”
“We need to strengthen our internet infrastructure to better serve Middle America and rural communities, and improve the online experience for people in all parts of our country,” said Senator Baldwin. “This bipartisan measure will help expand broadband access across our country. By investing in our internet infrastructure and adding more internet exchanges in Wisconsin and throughout the heartland, we can help more rural households and rural businesses gain better access to high-speed internet.”

BACKGROUND
Internet Exchanges (IXs) are physical locations where networks come together – they allow subscribers of different internet service providers to communicate with one another. IXs also provide opportunities for content delivery networks (CDNs) and others to cache content closer to end-users, thus reducing latency and increasing network efficiency to improve the online experience for consumers, especially in rural areas. IX facilities also provide opportunities for data centers and cloud computing to be collocated at IX sites, thus increasing efficiency and boosting local economies. Currently, IXs are concentrated in big cities and in the coastal states. The bill has two primary sections: (1) Authorizes matching grants to be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, to help establish new IX facilities where none exist, or to help an existing one expand if it is the only IX facility in a core based statistical area. (2) Permits eligible recipients under the E-Rate program (for schools and libraries) and Telehealth program to use such funds to contract with a broadband provider to obtain a connection to an IX facility, or to pay for the costs of maintaining a point of presence at an IX facility. 
Source: https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/senators-blackburn-baldwin-introduce-internet-exchange-act

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Nullam faucibus est gravida metus egestas, ac efficitur urna venenatis. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Fusce tempus porttitor diam et feugiat. Sed aliquam turpis et enim tincidunt tempus. Mauris sed scelerisque urna, nec scelerisque erat. Maecenas porta velit est, sed molestie nisi pharetra ut. Cras eget luctus tellus, a cursus est. Quisque vitae enim interdum, convallis eros nec, eleifend nisl. Vivamus ac lacinia urna, sed ultricies tellus.

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Nullam tempor in orci quis luctus. Curabitur varius erat sed tortor maximus fringilla. Mauris velit libero, feugiat vitae elit eu, interdum molestie nisl. Ut suscipit mattis molestie. Maecenas bibendum, libero quis commodo pulvinar, odio nibh fermentum leo, sed egestas urna quam at odio. Vivamus hendrerit volutpat tincidunt. Proin ornare magna vitae rhoncus congue. Donec eu semper urna. Suspendisse ultricies risus nec tempor faucibus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Curabitur at sagittis elit, non mollis mi. Donec vitae tincidunt purus, vel tincidunt est. Mauris est odio, malesuada nec aliquam ac, viverra sed massa. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Nulla malesuada imperdiet blandit.

In ut arcu placerat, consequat risus bibendum, sodales nisi. Aenean ac ligula ac enim euismod tincidunt nec vitae enim. Suspendisse et quam et lectus dapibus imperdiet et non massa. Phasellus eu dapibus erat. Proin fringilla sollicitudin est, non rutrum mauris commodo sit amet. Nunc ex massa, ultricies non bibendum sed, placerat id ipsum. Duis interdum placerat congue. Nunc vitae fringilla leo. Ut et ornare erat, at bibendum justo. Vestibulum mauris ex, porta non convallis nec, interdum fermentum dolor. Sed ut sodales velit. Integer ultricies, magna vitae pellentesque ultrices, nibh nisi porttitor quam, sed consequat nisl purus nec ex. Nam non aliquam tellus. Cras a tellus metus. Sed consequat, odio sed sagittis condimentum, ex lorem finibus lacus, vitae tincidunt odio felis ac dui. Fusce suscipit urna vel finibus rhoncus.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur congue leo in nulla tincidunt, vitae consequat mi consectetur. Mauris eget pulvinar est, eu interdum velit. Suspendisse ultrices, augue eu fermentum lacinia, odio eros iaculis sem, in tincidunt orci sapien vel ante. Quisque laoreet dolor vitae tortor mattis feugiat. Suspendisse lacinia leo eu diam mollis, sit amet facilisis lacus imperdiet. Etiam posuere urna id dignissim dignissim. Donec non tempor nunc. Curabitur quis nulla ac diam ultricies ornare vel id velit. In feugiat eros eu condimentum molestie. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Quisque quis quam dui. Pellentesque augue ex, placerat tempus pretium non, ullamcorper a eros. Aliquam varius in ante non interdum.

Curabitur pharetra enim vel justo ultricies, sed cursus eros condimentum. Ut nibh eros, fringilla a rutrum vitae, molestie vitae augue. Morbi at nunc mollis, eleifend dui sed, gravida ligula. Vivamus ornare diam id accumsan fringilla. Proin eget massa mauris. Nullam sagittis condimentum egestas. Pellentesque sollicitudin elit quis urna aliquam, at tempor justo mollis. In cursus libero id nunc ullamcorper, eget porttitor diam ultrices. Vivamus sapien nisi, hendrerit at mollis vel, facilisis sed ipsum. Ut sodales pretium lectus condimentum tempor. Vestibulum eget molestie arcu. Sed eu est euismod, commodo nibh sed, tempus enim. Morbi rutrum tortor nec libero laoreet malesuada.

Phasellus rhoncus, erat non iaculis accumsan, magna lectus pulvinar urna, non eleifend dui sapien at massa. Aliquam cursus aliquet dolor eget feugiat. Suspendisse sed faucibus elit. Integer commodo odio suscipit commodo porta. Vestibulum quis lacinia nulla. Phasellus erat dolor, tincidunt sed massa quis, ullamcorper maximus sapien. Vestibulum lectus ipsum, laoreet in aliquet vitae, suscipit vel dui. Pellentesque accumsan ex a velit vestibulum placerat. Praesent sollicitudin vulputate consequat. Nullam id facilisis nulla. Donec sodales erat et aliquet mollis.

Etiam malesuada urna mi, et tempor mauris semper vel. Phasellus eget elit nunc. Vestibulum gravida mattis finibus. Maecenas porta enim sed nunc dapibus, at consectetur lectus lobortis. Integer molestie nisl non tempus sollicitudin. Ut interdum sapien id augue lobortis consectetur. Praesent elementum dui ac augue efficitur, lacinia accumsan lacus rutrum. Suspendisse congue convallis molestie.

Curabitur nisl orci, semper ut aliquam in, malesuada eget neque. Donec pretium vulputate quam, nec maximus neque vehicula vel. Suspendisse lacinia orci justo, sagittis feugiat arcu vulputate ut. Aliquam ut felis arcu. Integer viverra in ligula quis sagittis. Aliquam fringilla eu erat at aliquet. Vivamus convallis magna ut orci cursus semper. Morbi quis sapien orci. Sed maximus ligula sit amet orci rutrum, nec lacinia augue euismod.

Duis magna diam, commodo sed auctor in, blandit in arcu. Morbi scelerisque enim sed nisi imperdiet, a hendrerit tellus sodales. Nullam accumsan risus turpis, at vestibulum nulla fermentum ut. Nunc consequat nibh in feugiat blandit. Mauris pretium a diam luctus rutrum. Phasellus nunc velit, vestibulum eu mauris in, varius iaculis sem. Sed vel tellus et nulla consequat vehicula.

Maecenas odio ligula, posuere quis tincidunt id, vehicula molestie turpis. Nullam convallis luctus felis, non varius mauris consectetur et. Vivamus blandit erat quam, vitae ullamcorper quam suscipit a. Maecenas pellentesque, nulla non blandit accumsan, lectus enim euismod ante, quis facilisis ligula sem eu ante. Proin imperdiet lorem at varius iaculis. Morbi molestie ante nisl, eu maximus augue porta vel. Etiam viverra, purus ut laoreet laoreet, est lorem volutpat metus, porta tristique arcu augue non nibh. Praesent rutrum turpis eget facilisis imperdiet. Proin condimentum sodales enim id hendrerit. Cras eu lobortis nunc. Curabitur elit velit, elementum ut semper in, volutpat eu mi. Nunc non libero sit amet ex sagittis suscipit quis eu lectus. Integer gravida dolor tortor, ut vehicula felis pharetra eget. Cras eu eros dictum magna pellentesque tempor. Curabitur quis turpis sit amet arcu sodales rhoncus.