The Digital Inclusion Forum

Policy Watch: The Rise in State Broadband Initiatives

In the past two to three years, several U.S. states have taken an increasingly important leadership role on digital inclusion, and for good reason.

• States have a natural convening authority and can play a role in reviewing and promoting city and county initiatives;
• States can administer federal funding streams aimed at local government;
• States are in a position to coach local authorities on digital inclusion and coordinate regional efforts.

States may well hold the key not only to replicability and regional coordination but on the dissemination of promising practices that can foster sustainability. Herewith, a list of initiatives and recent media coverage:

Arizona

Initiative

• Arizona Broadband Communication (ABC) Network

• Broadband Task Force
• California Emerging Technology Fund
• California Advanced Services Fund
  

• California Communities Need Broadband Action (03/10/08)
• Rural California Counties Receiving Broadband (04/04/08)
  
• California Broadband Report May Be Model for Other States (01/18/08)
• California's Broadband Bridge to Nowhere (02/11/08)
  

Georgia

Initiative

• Georgia Technology Authority

• GTA Awards $600,000 for Savannah Wireless
  

Illinois

Initiative

• Illinois Broadband Deployment Council
  

Kentucky

Initiative

• ConnectKentucky

• ConnectKentucky Provides Uncertain Model for Federal Legislation (01/09/08)
• ConnectKentucky Responds to Art Brodsky's Article (01/12/08)

• Patrick Pushes $25M Broadband Access Bill (02/14/08)
• Senator Kerry Urges Invesment in Broadband (04/24/08)
  

Michigan

Press

• Counties Ponder Broadband Cooperative (04/10/08)
  

New York

Initiative

• New York State Council for Universal Broadband

• Assembly May Cut Spitzer's Broadband Plan (03/22/08)
  
• New York State to Fund Nine Public-Private Partnership (03/19/08)
  
• Initiative to Bring All of New York State Online (02/06/08)
  

North Carolina

Initiative

• The e-NC Authority
  

Ohio

Initiative

• Ohio Broadband Council

• Logan County Sends Proposal to Ohio Broadband Council (04/10/08)
  

South Carolina

Initiative

• H 4735 Wireless Broadband Resolution
• Connected Nation
  

Vermont

Initiative

• East Central Vermont Community Fiber Network
  
• Vermont Public Radio

• Telecommunications Authority Awards Broadband Grants (04/24/08)

Virginia

Initiative

• Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative

• MBC Cooperative Announces Major Network Expansion (02/05/08)
• Region Slow to Get Fast Internet (04/24/08)
  

Washington

Initiative

• Communities Connect Network
  

West Virginia

Initiative

• ETOPIA
• Connect West Virginia
  

• Senator Unger Wants Second Look at Broadband Bill (03/07/08)
• Internet Access Bill Signed into Law (04/14/08)
  

United States

• USDA Announces $267 Million Rural Broadband Loan
• Is It Time for a National Broadband Policy?