Faster Internet Needed in Schools and Libraries

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau released a new survey of schools and libraries that receive support from the E-Rate program. The results show an overwhelming need for faster Internet connections in these institutions.

The 2010 E-Rate Program and Broadband Usage Survey collected the type and speeds of broadband connections in schools and libraries and polled the institutions' administrators. Its findings were somewhat alarming:

• Nearly 80 percent of all survey respondents say their broadband connections do not fully meet their current needs — over half of which, cited insufficient speed;
• Only 10 percent of respondents have connections over 100Mbps, and 48 percent have speeds under 10Mbps;
• 15 percent of respondents reported no broadband services available, including 20 percent of rural libraries and schools;
• 39 percent of respondents cite cost of service as barrier in meeting their Internet needs; and,
• 27 percent of respondents cite cost of installation as a barrier.

The survey, which was designed to identify the state of Internet in public institutions, found that schools and libraries need more IT staff:

School administrators, according to this survey, are somewhat clueless. For example, 45% of school principals surveyed did not know the average speed and 48% did not know the minimum speed needed. But only 3% of schools with a dedicated IT staffer didn't know this information.

The National Broadband Plan is working to solve these problems, by setting the goal of 1Gbps connections to every anchor institution in the United States. Speed Matters has long supported the 1Gbps connection goal for all U.S. libraries and public schools.

The report also points out why 1Gbps connections at anchor institutions is a vital goal:

As more applications have a video component, schools and libraries will likely need additional bandwidth to take advantage of the full range of educational options available.

2010 E-Rate Program and Broadband Usage Survey (FCC)

FCC survey suggests Schools and Libraries need more IT staff (BetaNews)

With Broadband Needs Rising, Libraries Under Strain (Speed Matters)