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Navigating Local Broadband Why it’s worth it for your community!. George Boersma, Director Office of Technology Partnerships Michigan Department of Information Technology. Can you Imagine…. Your community without highways, expressways or even electricity?..... - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Navigating Local BroadbandWhy it’s worth it for your community!
George Boersma, DirectorOffice of Technology Partnerships
Michigan Department of Information Technology
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 22
From Vision to Action
Can you Imagine…
Your community without highways, expressways or even
electricity?.....
The introduction of these new inventions changed everything. It’s now easy to see the positive impact of them, but at the time people were weary and thought these inventions were strange and unnecessary.
Broadband can have the same impact on your community as these now necessities. The need for broadband is real.
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 33
From Vision to Action
Broadband for your communityis not only possible…it’s critical
Broadband is helping communities of all sizes and needs:
Promote Economic Development Better Education Improve Government Increase Tourism Enhance Healthcare Equip First Responders
How are others navigating this road?
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 44
From Vision to Action
Benefits of Broadband:Economic development
Princeton, IL (Pop. 8,000) learned their lesson the hard way…
Due to the lack of broadband services,
their largest employer left town, taking 450 jobs
Due to the installation of broadband, the
second largest employer decided to stay!
Why are businesses demanding broadband?
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 55
From Vision to Action
Broadband makes business cents!
A recent survey of remote and rural broadband networks in British Columbia found:
62% attribute increased productivity to
broadband; most saw at least a 10% rise
80% believe that not having broadband
would negatively impact their business
18% believe they could not operate
their business without it!
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 66
From Vision to Action
Up with efficiency …down with business costs
Broadband provides a new way
to cut costs, win new business
and compete globally
Connectivity is also reported to
increase revenue EfficiencyEfficiency
It also makes sense for education…
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 77
From Vision to Action
Benefits of Broadband:Better education
We could learn a few things from rural Pickens County, GA (Pops. <3,500)…
None of the county’s schools had the resources to hire a foreign language teacher. After installing broadband that connected their four schools they were able to hire one teacher to teach for all four schools at the same time using full motion video equipment Saved $140,000/year after all expenses
for the equipment!!
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 88
From Vision to Action
Improve government:…Reduce costs!
Increase efficiency and cost effectiveness Faster, better quality service for less!!
Make government services readily available and enable resident self – service; reducing administrative costs!
Residents can: Have 24x7 access to services and information Handle affairs on their own time! – No more taking
off work to stand in line…
Pickens County, GA also: Added broadband in their county courthouse and jail for additional cost savings through: video arraignment and telemedicine!!
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 99
From Vision to Action
More employees for businesses More jobs for residents
Communities in ME and KY are already benefiting from broadband and telecommuting:
In 12 months, a small company in Maine has grown from a small office of four employees to a national network of over 50 workers that work from their homes using broadband
In 18 months, Kentucky’s partial broadband services deployment has added 25,300 new jobs; full-scale deployment is projected to add more than $5 million to the Gross State Product
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 1010
From Vision to Action
Benefits of Broadband:Promoting Tourism
Broadband connectivity is becoming a necessity to the hospitality industry…
More than 40% of business travelers—80% of extended stay guests—want access to broadband
Internet access in coffee shops, hotels and airports is becoming an expected amenity
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 1111
From Vision to Action
The ‘tourist trap’ of the 21st Century!
Broadband was a worthy tourism investment for Stevenson, WA (Pop. 1,300)…
Known for logging, world-class fishing and salmon runs, Stevenson used tourism funds to invest in WiFi
Launched in Oct. 2003, the network blankets the downtown, Fair Grounds and adjoining recreation area
Guests may log in for an hour at a time, but first go through a “Welcome to Stevenson” page, with city amenities and services promotions
Local businesses have noticed an increase in the length of overnight stays and in business overall
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 1212
From Vision to Action
Benefits of Broadband:Enhancing healthcare & reducing costs
Broadband-enabled telemedicine is improving the quality of care and reducing cost, time and travel:
Rural hospitals can treat patients with consultation from external specialists
Small health care clinics can work with larger facilities to process test and lab results faster
Patients do not need to travel great distances to access to Doctors, whocan now make a diagnosis remotely
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 1313
From Vision to Action
Broadband is providing life-saving data and communication access to police and firefighters…
Broadband-based voice and datacommunication improves response time and costs less
It is also much more reliable…
Benefits of Broadband:Equipping first responders
Hurricane Katrina taught us the value of broadband: During and after the storm, 38 Public Safety Answering Points failed, thousands were without access to emergency operators…Hardier IP networks would have prevented this!
So, have you heard enough?
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 1414
From Vision to Action
Ready for Action?Bringing Broadband to your community
Next Steps: Check with neighboring
communities with broadband for help and lessons learned
Learn from other Michigan communities: Washtenaw County Oakland County City of Grand Rapids Genesee County
Obtain MDIT’s “Broadband in Action Plan”
We can help…
State of Michigan • Department of Information Technology 1515
From Vision to Action
Contacts & QuestionsMDIT Office of Technology
Partnerships George Boersma, Director
[email protected] (517) 335-1507
Paul Harmon [email protected] (517) 373-4079
