creating regional broadband opportunities
about us
The OpenCape concept began development in 2006 when Cape Cod Community College, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Cape Cod Technology Council, and others held a meeting at Cape Cod Community College to discuss the lack of broadband options and capacity on Cape Cod and develop strategies to address the issue.
A steering committee was formed shortly after the first meeting in 2006 to more formally address the issue. By 2008 the non-profit 501(c)(3) OpenCape Corporation was formed to conduct analysis, develop plans, and engineer solutions. Approximately $250,000 in seed funding was obtained to support the efforts of a regionally representative Board of Directors that committed a great deal of time and energy toward devising a solution for the region.
The OpenCape concept is widely supported throughout the region and the state. Towns and school districts on Cape Cod and the Islands have submitted letters of support for the effort. Seed funding was provided by Barnstable County, the John Adams Innovation Institute, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Cape Cod Community College. The Cape legislative delegation successfully increased the Broadband Bill Incentive Fund to $40 million within the Massachusetts legislature to create a resource for construction of the network. The federal legislative delegation has provided letters of support, as well as essential liaison with federal agencies in obtaining federal stimulus funds.
The OpenCape Corporation Board of Directors is representative, both geographically and functionally, of the region:
Art Gaylord, Chairman and Director of Computer Information Services, WHOI
Dan Gallagher, President and CEO, and former CIO of Cape Cod Community College
Teresa Martin, Vice-Chair and private consultant
John Campbell, Clerk, and CIO, RHCI and Spaulding Hospital
Sean O’Brien, Treasurer and Coordinator, Barnstable County REPC
Dr. Robert Green, Member and former Vice Chancellor, UMass Dartmouth
Ellen Driscoll, Member and Educational Technology Coordinator, Plymouth PS
John Kennan, Member and Chair of the Sandwich Board of Selectmen
Craig Weigand, Member and Superintendent, Harwich Water Department
Charles Sumner, Member and Town Administrator, Brewster
menu
stay in touch
Sign up for the OpenCape Newsletter and stay in touch with what's going on.
local links
Cape Cod Community College
Cape Cod Technology Council
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Barnstable County
Cape Cod Commission
Cape Cod EDC
CLAMS Library Network
UMass - Dartmouth
Southeast MA Regional Planning
Cape Cod Emergency Preparedness