Technical Association Quarterly Meeting Discusses Statewide Broadband Adoption and Last-Mile Broadband Expansion Projects

For Immediate Release

March 25, 2011

Contact: Amanda Murphy

614-220-0190 or amurphy@connectohio.org

Statewide programs continue to improve broadband access, will provide more than 200,000 Ohioans with free computer training

COLUMBUS – On Friday, March 25 at the Vern Riffe Center in Columbus, Connect Ohio hosted the 2011 first quarter Technology Association Meeting with 67 stakeholders, broadband providers, and library and community representatives. Representatives from government offices in attendance included the office of State Senator Joe Schiavoni of the 63^rd Senate District, the office of State Representative Matt Huffman of the 4^th House District, as well as United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Tony Logan and USDA Rural Development Community Programs Director David Douglas.

The meeting detailed the early success of the Every Citizen Online program, a two-year effort to increase sustainable broadband adoption for more than 200,000 state residents by providing free computer training sessions at public libraries and community colleges throughout Ohio. The program began in late December 2010. Thus far, nearly 1,500 Ohio adults have completed the free basic computer training, more than 4,600 have registered for the training through the online site http://eco.connectohio.org/, and 1,853 computers have been distributed.

"The Every Citizen Online project has been well-received in communities throughout the state," said Connect Ohio Executive Director Tom Fritz. “We’ve seen early success since the initial launch and continue to add training locations regularly, advancing the program’s reach.”

Connect Ohio Technical Outreach Manager Bart Winegar gave attendees an overview of current last-mile assistance projects in Ohio. The last-mile projects offer assistance to Ohio communities that lack access to broadband by identifying, researching, and mapping unserved areas and interacting with local planning teams to determine the best practices to increase broadband capacity in that area. Winegar presented details of a broadband expansion model created by Connect Ohio that can be used to determine financial viability and sustainability of expansion into Ohio communities.

Fritz also recognized Matthew Pepper of Chesterhill with a Broadband Hero award for his hard work and dedication toward expanding affordable broadband and high-speed Internet access to residents of Morgan County. Details of Pepper’s volunteer efforts can be viewed at http://connectoh.org/in_the_news/broadband_heroes/.

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About Connect Ohio: Connect Ohio, a division of Connected Nation, is a nonprofit, technology-neutral public-private partnership that works with telecommunications providers, business and community leaders, information technology companies, researchers, public agencies, libraries, and universities in an effort to help extend affordable high-speed Internet service to every Ohio household. For more information about what Connect Ohio is doing to accelerate technology in Ohio's communities, visit http://www.connectohio.org.

Related Links: Connect Ohio on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ConnectOhio

Connect Ohio on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ConnectOH

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