FirstMile.US and the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2 announced a partnership today under which Calit2 becomes FirstMile.US's first partner. Joining the FirstMile.US Partner program demonstrates Calit2's commitment to FirstMile.US's goal to enable every member of the American public to have access to 'big broadband' -- the 21st-century pathway to a better overall quality of life. "Our institute's mission is to accelerate the extension of the Internet throughout the physical world. We believe that FirstMile.US is tackling a critical part of this extension - big broadband," said Larry Smarr, director of Calit2 and Harry E. Gruber professor of Computer Science and Engineering in UCSD's Jacobs School of Engineering. "Calit2 teams UCSD and UC Irvine faculty, students, and research professionals with leading California telecommunications, computer, software, and applications companies to conduct research on the scientific and technological components needed to bring this new Internet into being. Working closely with FirstMile.US provides us with a way to reach out to individual communities around the nation." "We are proud that Calit2 is our first Partner," noted Susan Estrada, FirstMile.US president. "Using their studies in 'living laboratories' will help us educate the public about the power and promise of big broadband everywhere. I look forward to working with Calit2's talented team of researchers to illustrate the fantastic potential of big broadband for entertainment, healthcare, transportation, the environment, and education." The FirstMile.US Partner Program is open to any organization or individual that wants to invest in the future of big broadband everywhere through the goals and programs of FirstMile.US. By showing people across the nation how broadband can benefit them and their communities, FirstMile.US hopes to drive demand and create a more robust market for big broadband everywhere.