GigCity

Chattanooga's push to celebrate its 1-Gig/persec infrastructure is ambitious. The remaining question is how much interest will it draw? Read about it here.

Smart Grid Chattanooga

Advocates, in the wake of storm-induced power outages, urge adoption of full smart-grid technologies for electric utilities, the TFP reports.

America Service merger

America Service Group and Valitas Health Services (St. Louis) will merge, according to a release today. The headquarters will be in Brentwood.

TN will honor ECD commitments

Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber told the Times-News the State will honor all the incentive and support commitments it has previously made to new industry, including Volkwagen and Wacker.

'Cash for Volts'

Nissan is among the players in the new Electrification Coalition calling for federal subsidies for providing incentives for building the e-car charging infrastructure and purchasing e-cars. Design News reports, as does The Washington Post.

'Smart' Chattanooga technology

An IBM sales exec based in Chattanooga cites schools, roadway traffic controls, airport security and other city infrastructure as needing upgraded information technologies to improve performance and quality of life. The TFP has it.

e-Vehicle chargers at Metro campus

Coulomb Technologies announced today that the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County is the first municipality in the State of Tennessee to install and deploy ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Stations for plug-in electric vehicles. The charging stations are in the 700-space garage on Metro's Fulton Campus.

Telecom: Local researchers examine Stimulus impact

Telecom Pragmatics, based in Nashville with an office in Maryland, provides just a teasing amount of intel from its recent report on projected impact of Stimulus spending on Telecom infrastructure. You have to pay big bucks to get the full report, but Telecom said in a release today, "Large construction firms contracted by the independent telcos will get the biggest amount of money because about 60 percent of Fiber-To-The-home (FTTH) costs are in this activity.... Corning is the dominant optical fiber provider in the U.S., as well as a large supplier of other outside plant equipment. Calix will likely continue to be the market share leader as an overall access provider to the IOCs because as a private company, it can afford to put market share ahead of margin. Others that will greatly benefit include FTTH electronics manufacturers like Enablence as well as vendors of passive gear for these applications. Also, given the relatively large amount of funds devoted to the 'middle mile', optical transport suppliers will substantially benefit. In addition, there should be noticeable sales of head-end gear as well as routers for the backend. Moreover, there could be a fair amount of money spent on HFC upgrades by the cable TV companies. Telecom Pragmatics believes [Stimulus spending for] FTTH will substantially dwarf DSL, wireless, and other solutions. " Telecom Pragmatics also keeps a running list of predictions validated. Among predictions: AT&T and its peers will focus increasingly on wireless Video transmission.

Incubator 'buzz' may not save Obama proposal

Following up on my story earlier this week about the Nashville Business Incubation Center (NBIC) and vacancies, therein), I spoke this morning with Tracy Kitts, the Athens, Ohio-based COO of the National Business Incubation Association. Kitts noted that the Obama has, probably for the first time in history, put money in the budget expressly to foster a nationwide network of incubators. NBIA is therefore mobilizing at the grassroots to save that item, now that the still-contested budget is being reconciled. NBIA musters some interesting numbers, purporting to show the greater jobs-generating impact of investment in incubators over other forms of infrastructure. We'll keep an eye on this. Welcome your comments. Kitts said he believes the federal, state and local 'buzz' around entrepreneurship, generally, and incubators, in particular, is unprecedented in American history.

Bart Gordon gaining 'Big Mo'

Twenty-four years after his election to Congress in 1984, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon's (D-6) momentum is building. The Tennessean reports that President-Elect Barack Obama recently told Gordon, "I'm a science guy," signalling support for Gordon in his role as chair of the increasingly influential House Science and Technology Committee. The Tennessean's story this morning indicates Gordon's first priority, along with all other Members, will be supporting U.S. economic reconstruction. But, there's gathering evidence that Gordon's emphasis on AmericaCOMPETES legislation and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education will quickly gain deep traction. The story's here.