Vol 2 | Issue 10 | October 2017

Broadband and Regional Economic Development

In the face of new market demands, communities are repositioning themselves to maximize future prosperity and growth. Many communities are taking a cooperative approach, working with surrounding towns and cities to develop a regional economic strategy that utilizes local assets. One of those crucial assets is broadband. Why is broadband essential for regional economic development?

• Broadband allows communities to expand their markets. With broadband technology, communities can leverage their local resources and legacy industries to compete in the global economy.

• Broadband enables industry clusters. Broadband supports the “multiplier effect” by facilitating communication and data-sharing between inter-related businesses and institutions. Strong industry clusters spur innovation and local growth.

• Broadband helps ensure that the workforce is qualified for regional jobs. Broadband facilitates specific training opportunities, tailoring workforce skills trainings to help meet the requirements of the regional economy.

• Broadband promotes “smart” regional development. Integrating broadband into regional infrastructure ensures that planning efforts will accommodate and meet the region’s needs.

• Broadband enhances quality of place. Broadband improves all aspects of a region’s ecosystem, from healthcare to education to public safety. Higher living standards attract and retain residents, giving them more reason to invest in their communities.

Interested in learning about how to include broadband in your regional development planning? Attend BroadbandUSA’s Practical Conversations Webinar on economic development Wednesday, October 18 or contact us at broadbandusa@ntia.doc.gov or 202-482-2048.

Broadband News and Updates

Federal News

• NTIA and NHTSA are seeking comment on proposed rules for the 911 Grant Program

• NTIA released a cyber security report on botnets and other automated threats

• The FCC extended the deadlines for filing initial and reply comments on modernizing Form 477 data

State News

• NGA announced the creation of a new technology-focused office for states

• Broadband data collected by the Wisconsin Broadband Office (WBO) is now available

• Applications for Tennessee’s Broadband Accessibility Grant are due November 17

• Oregon Connections is hosting its Telecommunications Conference this month

• Nevada’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology in the Office of the Governor will host a broadband summit November 6th

Funding Opportunities

• NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association released its application for the Smart Rural Community (SRC) Collaboration Challenge

• Mozilla and NSF are partnering to give away $2 million in prizes for innovative wireless technology

Public Safety/FirstNet

• FirstNet provides official notice of State Plans to governors

• 24 states and territories have opted in to the FirstNet network to date

• Announcements for states and territories who have opted to participate in the FirstNet network in September: Louisiana, Texas, Idaho, Maryland, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Alaska

Stakeholder Resources

• U.S. Census Bureau released the 2016 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates

• NDIA released Informing Strategic Investment in Digital Equity: Cleveland/Cuyahoga County

• Brookings released Signs of Digital Distress, a report on mapping broadband availability and subscription in American neighborhoods

• The Benton Foundation published Five Lessons for Tech-Powered Civic Engagement

• Route Fifty released Insights and Ideas for Smart Cities

Other News

• 30 New Communities To Join ConnectHome Nation Initiative

• The American Library Association (ALA) is partnering with Google on the next phase of their Libraries Ready to Code initiative

• Fiber for the New Economy’s November Economic Development Conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia

New Broadband Resources

Three research papers using NTIA’s Digital Nation survey data were presented at the 45th Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy. Policy staff from NTIA presented one of the papers examining the connection between digital and financial inclusion. The two other papers utilized NTIA data to examine the behavioral relationships behind the increases in mobile-only households and the geographic patterns of Internet use across the United States. Click here to learn more.

BroadbandUSA Spotlight

The Global Cities Teams Challenge (GCTC) program released a Public Wi-Fi Blueprint, which provides communities with a practical “how-to” guide for deploying a Public Wi-Fi system. BroadbandUSA facilitated the Public Wi-Fi SuperCluster. Access the Public Wi-Fi Blueprint here. BroadbandUSA is facilitating the Agriculture and Rural GCTC SuperCluster. The SuperCluster will develop a range of projects, best practices and a blueprint to help farmers manage their farms more efficiently and rural communities improve connectivity. Any interested city, town, company or university may participate. Join the SuperCluster here (you must submit your email to join the Google Group).

Webinars

BroadbandUSA Practical Broadband Conversations Webinar Series
Topic: Practical Broadband Conversations: Understanding the Role of Broadband in Regional Economic Development
Date: Wednesday, October 18 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT
Overview: Broadband is a key driver of regional job creation and economic prosperity. Recognizing this, many communities are taking a cooperative approach to develop a comprehensive regional economic strategy emphasizing broadband deployment and use. Join BroadbandUSA’s Practical Broadband Conversations webinar to learn how regional economic development agencies are leveraging broadband to spur collaboration, innovation and growth.

Global Cities Teams Challenge (GCTC) SuperCluster Webinar
Topic: Agriculture and Rural SuperCluster
Date: Thursday, October 26 at 12:00 p.m. EDT
Overview: Join the Agriculture and Rural SuperCluster webinar to learn what projects SuperCluster members are working on or planning; discuss the key outputs targeted for GCTC SuperClusters, including a future workshop for interested groups; and the results of a brainstorming session held at the Expo.

Events

NTIA Events

October 18, 2017
BroadbandUSA Practical Broadband Conversations:
Broadband will host the next webinar in its Practical Conversations series. Click here to learn more.

October 26, 2017
Global Cities Team Challenge (GCTC) Agriculture and Rural SuperCluster
BroadbandUSA is facilitating a GCTC webinar on agriculture and rural communities. Click here to register.

Events of Interest

October 15-20, 2017
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Annual Convention & Marketplace
NCAI’s annual convention and marketplace will take place in Milwaukee, WI. Click here to learn more.

October 22-25, 2017
ICMA Annual Conference
BroadbandUSA will speak on a Smart Community Advisory Board panel at this conference.

October 24-26, 2017
Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council (IACC) Conference
BroadbandUSA will speak on a panel at this event in Wenatchee, WA. Click here to learn more.

Policy Corner

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report examining the factors affecting broadband competition. GAO analyzed FCC data; reviewed relevant statutes and documentation; and interviewed government officials, industry experts and other broadband stakeholders as part of their research. Click here to see the office’s findings and read the full report.

Contact Us

If you are interested in receiving technical assistance, email broadbandusa@ntia.doc.gov or call 202-482-2048. For more information, visit our website at www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandusa.