he Advanced Internet Satellite Extension
Project chose
Garrett and Somerset counties as the location for the Tachyon Access
Point system. The objective of the project which
concerns the counties is to explore
the deployment and integration
of distance education applications including
collaborative applications at
rural remote institutions and extension l earning
centers that have been previously unable to access
such technology.
Garrett County is located in the western Maryland region.
The
county was formed in 1872 and it
is the last Maryland
county formed.
Historically, a young Virginian man by the name of George Washington
surveyed the county for lord Fairfax. US Route 40 runs directly
through Garrett County. Census data
reports that about 12 – 30 % of its residents live below the poverty line.
Tourism is the economic backbone of the
county. The inconsistencies of the tourism trade
coupled with the cold climate, and the lack of any large city
within has left Garret County a rural
area and sparsely populated. According to census data,
there were 28,000 residents in 1990 and 30,000 in
2000. Similarly, county remains
technologically behind since telecommunication
businesses are reluctant to invest in the county due to its
location.
The Tachyon Access
Point
brings to Garrett County advance
technology resources via satellite
technology. The project is a NSF/ADEC project partnering with PowerUp in the state
of Maryland to help bridge the digital divide in Garrett
County. PowerUp will provide hardware,
software, and some level of internet access while
Tachyon will provide the technology. The
University of Maryland will provide administrative support to the project.