Report: states vary in broadband approaches and adoption

TechNet, a tech industry policy group, released an in-depth report entitled, "2012 State Broadband Index: Where States Rank as They Look to High Speed Connectivity to Grow Strong Economies and Vibrant Communities."

The report "ranks states on where they stand in broadband by developing an index that brings together different elements of what might give states advantages in using broadband for economic and social development." The assessment focuses on three parameters: adoption, network speeds and economic structure. But, as the report points out, "There is no single recipe for success."

Using National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) data, the report notes that in 2010 state achievement varied greatly, ranging from 52 to 78 percent in broadband adoption. In addition the TechNet report used data from the Fiber to the Home Council, and found that access to fiber varies hugely, from a high of 74.8 percent in Delaware to a low of 0.7 percent in West Virginia and Colorado. In general the states of the Northeast have the best access to fiber.

Overall, TechNet looked for "fast and ubiquitous broadband networks, a population of online users, and an economic structure that helps drive broadband innovation and investment in new broadband uses." Using TechNet's standards, the top five states are: Washington, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland and California.

TechNet said that effective and widespread broadband needed a combination of executive and legislative leadership, state funding, cooperation and planning.

As the report says, "The diversity of state approaches is undoubtedly a virtue, as states search for models on how to encourage broadband in a fairly new arena for them." In general, though, the U.S. has made great gains; when TechNet last looked at state broadband policies in 2003, "just 15% of homes had broadband subscriptions then, while 68% do today."

Speed Matters noted that three states with high broadband penetration are Massachusetts, Maryland and New York - states where Verizon has offered its high-speed FiOS network. At the same time, though, the company has refused to offer FiOS access in the major cities of Baltimore and Boston and in the Upstate New York cities of  Buffalo, Albany and Syracuse, limiting consumer choices.

For a complete list of the states and their achievements in broadband development, look at the full report.

Technet's 2012 State Broadband Index (Technet, Dec. 2012)
http://www.technet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/TechNet_StateBroadband3a.pdf