States that prevent localities from building their own broadband networks doom poorly served areas to falling even further behind metropolitan areas.
Rosenberg, Texas, and Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) September 01, 2015
Counties that lack high-speed Internet access grow slowly or not at all, according to new research by Broadband Communities magazine. Counties with the poorest Internet access are even likely to lose population. What’s more, states that prevent localities from building their own broadband networks doom poorly served areas to falling even further behind metropolitan areas.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, according to research conducted for the Fiber to the Home Council Americas, communities with access to gigabit broadband – a hundred times faster than the average Internet connection – see a boost in per capita GDP. And homes in gigabit communities sell for 7 percent more than homes in communities where the highest speed available is 25 Mbps or lower.
Broadband Communities and the Fiber to the Home Council have teamed up to present these findings, along with other research results and case studies, at the Fiber for the New Economy conference in Lexington, Ky., September 15–18.
The conference's Community Toolkit Program will showcase best practices for cities aiming to join the ranks of gigabit communities. The conference's Economic Development Program will highlight networks that are driving economic growth and transformation in Kentucky and the nearby states of Tennessee, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Maryland and Virginia. A special session will focus on the new KentuckyWired project, which is expected to be instrumental in revitalizing Kentucky’s economy.
Conference-goers will also learn about network finance from Next Century Cities, a nonpartisan, city-to-city collaborative; about public-private partnerships and coalition building from the Coalition for Local Internet Choice; and about legal issues, government broadband funding programs, planning for smart cities, designing fiber networks and more in special workshops.
Local elected officials, city managers, economic development professionals, city planners, network operators, educators and broadband activists are all expected at the conference. “Meeting folks who have set policy, made financial investments, built networks, and pulled communities together to build their own networks will be a wonderful opportunity – all in beautiful Lexington, Ky.,” said conference director Hilda Legg, vice chairman of Broadband Communities. “More folks should be aware of the vast array of opportunities awaiting communities that expand their high-speed broadband.”
“This conference in Kentucky is an opportunity to celebrate our successes and move the market
forward,” said Heather Burnett Gold, president and CEO of FTTH Council Americas. “We’re excited for the opportunity to introduce communities to the possibilities presented by faster, more robust and scalable broadband networks supported by all-fiber technology.”
Learn more and register at http://www.bbcmag.com/lexington. Walk-in registration available.
About Broadband Communities
Broadband Communities is the leading source of information on digital and broadband technologies for buildings and communities. Our magazine, other publications and conferences aim to accelerate the deployment of fiber to the home and business while keeping readers and attendees up to date on the available solutions capable of serving their practical needs. http://www.bbcmag.com
About Fiber to the Home Council Americas
FTTH Council Americas is a non-profit association of companies and organizations that deliver video, Internet and/or voice services over high-bandwidth, next-generation, direct fiber optic connections – as well as companies that manufacture FTTH products and others involved in planning and building FTTH networks. The Council shares and builds industry consensus on key issues surrounding fiber to the home. Its mission is to accelerate deployment of all-fiber access networks by demonstrating how fiber-enabled applications and solutions create value for service providers and their customers, promote economic development and enhance quality of life. The Council organizes North America's largest annual FTTH event, the FTTH Conference & Expo. http://www.ftthcouncil.org