Ohio Awarded $1.8 Million for Broadband Mapping
Recovery Act funding to provide consumers and policymakers with improved data on broadband service
Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today announced the State of Ohio was awarded a $1.8 million federal grant to help implement the Strickland Administration’s plan to compile and map broadband availability in Ohio, including location, available speed and type of technology delivering the service.
“We created Connect Ohio in 2008 to determine where Ohio’s broadband infrastructure exists – and where it doesn’t exist – to better target the investments that will help us reach our goal of providing broadband access to all Ohioans,” Strickland said. “This grant will accelerate our efforts to expand economic and educational opportunities to more Ohioans.”
The program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will increase broadband access and adoption through better data collection and broadband planning. The data will be displayed in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s national broadband map, a tool that will inform policymakers' efforts and provide consumers with improved information on the broadband Internet services available to them.
Ohio’s program is administered by the Ohio Department of Administrative Services in collaboration with Connect Ohio, a public-private partnership established to work with telecommunication providers and communities to bring digital inclusion to Ohio residents and businesses.
“We are pleased to be working with the Strickland Administration to help create and enhance a comprehensive broadband map in the state of Ohio, and we’re particularly pleased to provide continuing broadband planning efforts to local communities across the state,” said Tom Fritz, executive director of Connect Ohio. “We applaud NTIA for working diligently to create a national broadband map and are honored to continue the work in Ohio to provide tools that will enable economic, social, and educational benefits to residents and businesses across the state.”
This grant will assist the State of Ohio to deliver more comprehensive and accurate broadband mapping data identifying coverage to a higher degree of accuracy, develop state and county-level broadband maps, support existing spatial development projects in Ohio, aid in the development and maintenance of a national broadband map, and fund statewide initiatives directed at broadband planning.
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services will receive the funds through the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Since 2008, Connect Ohio has benchmarked Ohio’s broadband availability and usage through the use of surveys and data gathered through its relationships with broadband providers across the state. Detailed information is available at a statewide and county level for businesses and residents regarding broadband availability, access, subscribership, barriers to adoption, computer ownership and average subscriber rates.