Initial and Supplemental Proposals awarded to Nebraska Public Service - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Initial and Supplemental Proposals awarded to Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). NTIC, UNL, DED and the AIM Institute are cooperatively leading the broadband planning efforts.

Let's Talk About Broadband - How Can We Leverage Broadband to Increase Growth? 2012 NEDA Fall Conference

Presented by Becky Vogt and Charlotte Narjes UNL Center for Applied Innovation

About the Nebraska Broadband Initiative

Broadband is a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life.

broadband.nebraska.gov

Goals of this initiative include:

• Increase adoption and utilization of broadband
• Develop regional broadband plans
• Increase understanding of importance of broadband

as a foundation of economic growth

NEDA Broadband Survey

• Insight - how membership is using technology
• Identify barriers in adopting broadband
• Help identify educational opportunities to better

utilize

• Establish benchmarks

NEDA Broadband Survey

• Online survey distributed to 333 members via listserv
• 76 responses (23% response rate)
• Types of organizations responding:
• 68% - city/county/regional economic development

company/organization

• 33% - service providers

Population of Area Served

• 7% under 1,000
• 9% between 1,000 and 2,499
• 14% between 2,500 and 4,999
• 18% between 5,000 and 9,999
• 14% between 10,000 and 19,999
• 21% between 20,000 and 99,999
• 18% 100,000 or more

Type of Area Served

• 38% city, town or village
• 33% county
• 14% region
• 9% state
• 3% multi-state region
• 3% other

TECHNOLOGY USE

Items on Website

20 40 60 80 100

Info for new residents Available Internet service providers Housing information Local education institutions Available buildings/sites ED programs/incentives Videos about community or area

93 81 100 90 86 89 38 7 19 10 14 11 63

Anticipate Adding Currently Have

Videos on Website by Population Served

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Under 2,500 2,500 - 9,999 10,000 or more

50 57 10 50 43 90

Currently have Anticipate adding

Satisfaction with Website

5 10 15 20 25 30 35

N/A Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Neither Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied 3 32 30 7 13 16

• Needs Improvement (38.2%)
• Resources available (20.6%)
• Challenge maintaining (16.2%)
• Content (14.7%)
• Adequate, good (30%)
• Weak (70%)
• Friendliness of Website

(22.1%)

• User-friendly (53.3%)
• Not user-friendly (46.7%)

Comments about Website

It has most of the information. Our pitfall is maintaining the site. Easy to maneuver. Feel it has an attractive look. Good information. Just had it revamped and not up to our standards. Difficult time finding a web developer. No pictures, not user friendly…we are in the process of a complete overhaul

Comments about Website

Social Media Tools Used

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

None Facebook Twitter YouTube Blogs LinkedIn Not sure 16 75 27 27 11 48 1

Confidence in Using Social Media Effectively

Very effectively 10% Somewhat effectively 40% Not at all effectively 41% Don't know/NA 9%

Satisfaction with Internet Connection Speeds

Upload speeds

• 68% fast enough
• 22% average, but not quite fast enough
• 56% of economic developers vs. 83% of service

providers indicated fast enough Download speeds

• 65% fast enough
• 25% average, but not quite fast enough

PERCEPTIONS OF TECHNOLOGY IN COMMUNITY OR AREA

Economic Development Plan Currently or Will Be Incorporating Broadband

• 28% of economic development organizations
• 11% serving population of 2,500 or less
• 36% serving population between 2,500 and 9,999
• 25% serving population of 10,000 or more

Perceived Effectiveness of Broadband Utilization in Locale

20 40 60 80 Attracting businesses Providing educational

• pportunities

Increasing quality of life Reducing costs of govt

• perations

38 53 41 19 22 22 22 11 33 33 23 48 71 58 30 Serve pop. 10,000 or more Serve pop. between 2,500 and 9,999 Serve pop. under 2,500 All members

Belief that Access to High-Speed Internet Services is Accomplishing Various Items

• Staying in touch with family/friends (92%)
• Accessing financial services (83%)
• Reaching higher education levels (76%)
• Getting health information (64%)
• Community and emergency alerts (61%)
• Improving job skills/professional development (60%)
• Finding a better job (60%)
• Starting a home-based business (51%)
• Transitioning to a new industry or profession (45%)

Perceived Adequacy of Internet Services

20 40 60 80

Your organization Households in community Businesses in community Attracting new residents Future generations

63 52 41 37 27 22 11 11 11 11 50 33 39 35 28 52 48 44 41 44 % answering very adequate Serve pop. 10,000 or more Serve pop. Between 2,500 and 9,999 Serve pop. Under 2,500 All members

Familiarity with Internet Service Needs

10 20 30 40

Current businesses Businesses trying to recruit Teleworkers New employees Younger population

34 24 19 17 22 40 33 33 40 40 33 21 14 9 16 % answering very familiar ED Service providers All

Most Economic Benefits to Business in Late Adoption Applications

Source: Strategic Networks Group – sngroup.com/research-library/

Fast/early adoption Access government Electronic document transfer Accessing collaborative tools Research by staff Website Teleworking Late Adoption Selling goods and services Rich media or service creation Deliver services and context Social networking

Familiarity with Internet Offerings and Services

10 20 30 40 50 60

Bandwidth speed Price Types of services available Support Interest in local ED

29 24 31 27 27 53 53 60 53 40 17 14 21 19 23 % answering very familiar

ED Service providers All

Where Can I Find What is Available?

broadband.nebraska.gov

What Will Drive Adoption and Utilization?

• Adoption (51%)
• Training (58%)
• Availability (29%)
• 55% desire more
• Affordability (20%)
• Best Practices –-
• Collaboration
• Setting Priorities

Training – serious shortage of technology training for business owners Local company laid fiber throughout community Rural Nebraska without fiber is being left further behind Joint effort with city, chamber and economic development Line of communication between local

• fficials and broadband providers

Questions on Survey Results?

Let’s Talk….Your Insights

When you think of your community or region what do you believe the greatest opportunities are to utilize high speed Internet to achieve economic growth / sustainability?

Let’s Talk….Your Insights

What challenges/barriers do you believe need to be

• vercome before broadband is widely adopted?

Let’s Talk….Your Insights

Any words of advice on how to increase broadband utilization and adoption within our region?

Let’s Talk….Your Insights

What are some things you would like to see NEDA do in the area of technology and broadband?

Let’s Talk….Your Insights

What goals would like to see included in the broadband plan around economic development?

Let’s Talk….Your Insights

Any suggestions for the broadband planning efforts?

Contact Information

• Charlotte Narjes cnarjes1@unl.edu
• Becky Vogt rvogt2@unl.edu

http://broadband.nebraska.gov