Silicon Hills
Silicon Hills is a nickname for the cluster of high-tech companies in the Austin metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Texas. The name is analogous to Silicon Valley, but refers to the hilly terrain on the west side of Austin. High tech industries in the area include enterprise software, semiconductors, corporate R&D, biotechnology, gaming, and a variety of startup companies.
Technology For All
Texas Connects Coalition (TXC2) is a partnership between TFA, Austin FreeNet (AFN), and the Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network (MAIN). It was recently awarded a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant valued at over nine million dollars. The grant is provided by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The coalition is summarized as a “comprehensive … initiative significantly expanding broadband public computer center capacity ... across Texas.” With the grant, TXC2 plans to install and maintain 70 public computer centers throughout Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and the Brazos Valley to "provide computer access, technical support, digital literacy, workforce development and other services to low-income and vulnerable populations."