Ohioans to Sen. Sherrod Brown: More high speed Internet please

Sherrod Brown, Ohio's first-term U.S. senator, recently visited the rural community of Coshocton to ask residents how the federal government can aid the region's economic development.

As they have done in the past, residents made it clear that they see high speed Internet as a crucial way to boost their economic growth. Among those calling for better high speed Internet access was CWA Local 4321 President Frank Matthews, who said,

"Just because people choose to live in rural Ohio doesn't mean they should have to live with second-class broadband."

In December, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland appointed Matthews to the newly formed Ohio Broadband Council, as part of the governor's Connect Ohio program -- a public-private partnership to expand high speed Internet access statewide.

State efforts like this are a welcome contribution to the nationwide universal high speed Internet effort. But we'll never achieve that goal until we have a comprehensive nationwide policy.

A first step is for the Senate to pass S.1492, the Broadband Data Improvement Act, which would provide grants to states for public-private partnerships to conduct broadband mapping and technology planning.

Getting Rural Ohio Plugged In (Speed Matters)

Senator seeks development input from local officials (Coshocton Tribune)

Ohio Governor taps CWA Local President for high speed Internet council (Speed Matters)

Gov. Strickland kicks off Connect Ohio (Speed Matters)