[Discuss] 1) Nexus 7 tablet with CLEAR USB device?? 1) Mobile Citizen

[sronan at panix.com (Stephen Ronan)]

Mobile Citizen is making CLEAR wireless service available to 
nonprofits and the people they serve for $10/month. I am testing 
it prior to the meeting detailed below (please pass that meeting 
info on to anyone you think might be interested in attending.)

As one part of the testing, I am trying to use the CLEAR USB 
wireless (WIMAX? 4G?) adapter in conjunction with a Nexus 7 
tablet. I got a "Micro USB B Male to USB 2.0 A Female OTG Data 
Host Cable for Nexus 7" from ebay to connect the CLEAR device to 
the tablet, but I am having difficulty connecting. Sometimes it 
works just fine. Other times I can't connect. There are no 
problems using the device with a laptop running Windows.

It may be random, but it seems like it is more likely to 
establish a successful connection via the tablet if I first 
establish a wifi connection with a wireless router, with the 
CLEAR device also connected. Sometimes it can switch seamlessly 
over to a CLEAR connection while I turn the tablet's wifi off, 
but usually not.

Anyone have relevant experience, advice? Thanks.

Below is the meeting info.

--------------------------------
We hope you, or another member of your staff, can attend a meeting on Tuesday 
October 16 with the Executive Director of Mobile Citizen.

Mobile Citizen <http://www.mobilecitizen.com> is now making high speed fixed 
and mobile Internet available to nonprofits for $10 a month. The nonprofits can 
then make it possible for their staff and the people they serve to also get 
$10-a-month service.

For example, a CDC could get $10/month Internet in its office, each of its 
staff members could get mobile $10/month Internet and the low-income residents 
of a housing development operated by the CDC could each get $10/month Internet 
in their homes.

In addition to the monthly costs (payable once a year), a device needs to be 
purchased. The options are:
* A USB modem ($55)
* A fixed modem with ethernet port and wifi ($95)
* A mobile modem with battery, able to support 8 simultaneous wifi connections 
($99)

How can Mobile Citizen offer $10 / month Internet to nonprofits?

"Mobile Citizen was originally established by five non-profit organizations 
that got their start transmitting educational video to schools in the 
mid-1980s. These five organizations began providing educational video services 
to schools in 11 metropolitan areas across the U.S. by utilizing Educational 
Broadband Service (EBS) spectrum frequencies regulated by the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC)." They subsequently were able to make an 
agreement to share their spectrum with CLEAR, the wireless broadband provider 
in exchange for being able to make CLEAR's service available to nonprofits at a 
tremendous discount.

Mobile Citizen service became available in Boston last month. It has been used 
very successfully elsewhere. For example, in Cleveland, the Director of 
OneCommunity writes:

"In Cleveland we've used Mobile Citizen to connect about 1100 households to 
date, including a fair number in subsidized housing. MC has invested a lot of 
free staff time in helping us solve penetration problems in a couple of Housing 
Authority and community-owned apartment buildings.  They're a great partner and 
they're on the hunt for digital inclusion opportunities in CLEAR markets."

On Tuesday October 16, at 2:00 pm, the Director of Mobile Citizen will be 
meeting with representatives of nonprofits that may be interested in taking 
advantage of their service. The meeting will be at the South End Technology 
Center @ Tent City, 359 Columbus Ave, Boston MA 02116

Hope to see you there!

If you would like additional details, please call Stephen Ronan at 617 661-1004

Thanks,