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Pew broadband report reveals penetration disparity and broadband roadblocks

The Pew Internet & American Life Project released the home broadband adoption report of 2009 on Wednesday, June 17, describing this year's successes and shortcomings in broadband penetration. Speed Matters is happy to see that 63% of adult Americans now have broadband internet connections at home - a 15% increase from last year. Unfortunately, the report shows that there is still a significant digital divide in the United States along racial, income and geographic lines.

Pew broadband report reveals penetration disparity and broadband roadblocks

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The Breadbasket needs broadband too

In a USA Today article, peanut farmer Jeff Roper explains how high-speed Internet would help agriculture, by increasing the efficiency of his farm's irrigation system. If Jeff had broadband access, he would save about an hour every day and increase the productivity of his farm. Thousands of rural Americans across the country have fallen victim to the digital divide.

The Breadbasket needs broadband too

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Coalition to support broadband for schools, libraries, and healthcare is formed

Leaders in the education and healthcare industries have come together to form a coalition to promote broadband access in schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities. The formation of the public-private partnership Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition was announced Thursday, June 11 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, in Washington, D.C.

Coalition to support broadband for schools, libraries, and healthcare is formed

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Arkansas Opportunity Online Broadband Summit gathers leaders to discuss future

On June 11, Arkansas library leaders, community partners, and statewide stakeholders gathered to attend the Arkansas Opportunity Online Broadband Summit. Participants heard from Governor Mike Beebe, Senator Mark Pryor and Arkansas Speaker of the House Robbie Wills as they explored ways to increase connectivity in Arkansas' libraries. Watch speeches from the summit:

Arkansas Opportunity Online Broadband Summit gathers leaders to discuss future

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Italy to invest 1.47 billion euros on national broadband

Italy announced a 1.47 billion-euro ($2.06 billion) investment in a national broadband plan that will help overcome the existing digital divide. Italy is currently listed as 22nd in the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development's broadband rankings, only slightly behind the United States' 15th ranking. Currently 13% of Italians have no access to the Internet or insufficient bandwidth, and the majority of those without broadband live in rural areas. The Italian Government's undersecretary for telecommunication, Paolo Romani, said the goal is to provide the entire population access to broadband technology, with a speed of between two and twenty megabits per second, by 2012.

Italy to invest 1.47 billion euros on national broadband

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U.S. Broadband Coalition to assess collaborative progress in July

This July, the U.S. Broadband Coalition will evaluate the development of a collaborative national broadband strategy. The coalition, of which Speed Matters is a part, is one of the largest and oldest organizations working to find a resolution for our national broadband inequality. The final report will be presented at a public meeting in Washington, D.C. this September.

U.S. Broadband Coalition to assess collaborative progress in July