DURHAM, N.H. - A grant to the University of New Hampshire's Broadband Center of Excellence (BCoE) from the YAS Foundation will expand the center's efforts to leverage UNH research and technology to ensure universal and affordable broadband service worldwide. The $1 million, seven-year grant will establish UNH as a thought leader and advance the effective use of broadband technologies at the university.

The BCoE, which was established with the leadership of Rouzbeh Yassini, is an unbiased resource for government, universities, researchers, communities and corporations providing factual information about broadband. These funds will be directed at projects and programs that support BCoE's current key areas of focus:

• Technologies enabling broadband access for those underserved and unserved
• Policy, financial and human studies addressing affordable broadband, or "broadband for all"
• Practical applications and services to empower "smart cities" using broadband
• Advanced research of innovative broadband technologies to help maintain our nation's competitive status globally

These targeted areas of work directly support BCoE's vision of establishing UNH as a global leader in maximizing the effectiveness of broadband on commerce, innovation, competitiveness and quality of life. Its four key objectives are to: 

• Establish UNH as a thought leader and advance the effective use of broadband technologies at the university
• Engage with corporations, industries and other technology leaders to expand broadband research
• Assist communities around the globe to realize broadband benefits
• Influence public policy and regulation

"The BCoE has developed an aggressive list of objectives for the coming year that will serve to expand broadband availability in New Hampshire and elsewhere, and help extend broadband to those who are unserved or underserved," says Jan Nisbet, UNH senior vice provost for research. She notes that the BCoE builds on UNH's significant broadband leadership in multiple areas.

"In stark terms, having more than four billion global citizens without adequate access to broadband and the economic lifeblood it provides is truly disheartening," says Yassini, BCoE executive director. "We want to seek out like-minded thought leaders and collaborate to achieve the large economic successes that ubiquitous broadband will provide."

Established in 2013, the BCoE (@UNHBCOE) is an unbiased resource for government, universities, communities and corporations providing factual information about broadband. With more than 30 years of experience in broadband, BCoE management coordinates research, outreach and offers education and public policy insight in pursuit of ubiquitously available, affordable broadband. 

The YAS Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Yassini family. It is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental, non-religious organization with a board of trustees.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 13,000 undergraduate and 2,500 graduate students across three campuses.

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