News Center :: Connect Ohio

Brown Announces Nearly $10 M for Rural Broadband Projects in Ohio

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced nearly $10 million in grants and loans to bridge the digital divide and boost economic development for Ohio communities held back by limited or no access to the technology. The award, distributed by the Ohio Department of Commerce was allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

"Broadband access is a matter of equal opportunity," Brown said. "Expanding high-speed Internet access is critical to improving the economic competitiveness of Ohio's rural and underserved urban areas. Today's award is a great first step toward achieving our goal of total access."

A 2006 study by MIT found that communities with wide access to broadband experienced faster job growth and new business development. A later report by the Brookings Institution found that for every one percent of increased broadband access, a state could expect 0.2-0.3 percent growth in employment. The median revenue among broadband-connected businesses in Ohio grew twice as fast as those that do not use broadband, according to a study by Connect Ohio...

Ohio’s Intelliwave Receives Federal Broadband Stimulus Funding « WISPA

Athens, Ohio: Thanks to a federal broadband stimulus award announced today, 11,232 households currently unserved or underserved by broadband, in Athens, Pickaway and Fairfield counties, will soon have broadband Internet available. Intelliwave, an Athens Ohio wireless Internet service provider (WISP) received word today from the USDA that they are the recipients of an award totaling $1,116,997 in grant funds and$1,162,599 in loan funds. These funds will be used over the next 36 months to build cutting edge wireless “last mile” Internet infrastructure to residents and businesses of the included counties.

Tom Fritz, executive director of Connect Ohio weighs in as well. “Connect Ohio applauds the award of this funding that will help more than 11,000 unserved households in these three Ohio counties be able to take advantage of all the benefits that high-speed Internet provides,” said Tom Fritz, executive director of Connect Ohio, 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...

Brandt throws hat in ring for Van Wert County commissioner — The Delphos Herald

WILLSHIRE — Van Wert County 9-1-1 Coordinator Kim Brandt has announced her candidacy for Van Wert County commissioner. Brandt has filed a petition to seek the Republican nomination for the seat currently held by Harold Merkle, who is not seeking re-election.

Brandt, 49, has several reasons for seeking the commissioner’s seat, with her main priority to serve the communities of Van Wert County.

As 9-1-1 coordinator for the past 10 years, she has been responsible for the overall day-to-day operations of the service. Her duties include creating the budget, dispatcher training, equipment purchasing and maintenance, as well as coordinating with telephone companies and emergency responders.

Brandt is a member of the Van Wert Optimist Club and is affiliated with the Fraternal Order of Police, Van Wert County Firefighters Association, APCO, Van Wert County Township Association and the Crime Stoppers Board, and Connect Ohio. She is the immediate past president of the Ohio Chapter of National Emergency Number Association, currently serving on its legislative committee...

Not wired at home? You're in shrinking minority in U.S.

In 1997, Bill Clinton was beginning his second term, the Cleveland Indians lost to the Florida Marlins in the World Series, and the newfangled Internet was something you never imagined your mother would ever use.
Only 18 percent of households nationally were hooked up to the Internet, so you probably weren't connecting from home, either.

But by last year, 69 percent of U.S. households were connected to the Internet, the U.S. Census Bureau reported yesterday. That's up from almost 62 percent in 2007, the last time the bureau conducted the survey.About 75 percent of Ohio residents had home Internet service in 2009, up from 70 percent the year before, said Connect Ohio, a state-funded nonprofit group trying to extend high-speed Internet access to all parts of the state...

Ohio Receives $11.7 Million to Expand Broadband Access to 14,000 Ohioans

Columbus, Ohio--Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today announced that the Ohio non-profit OneCommunity has been awarded $11.7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act resources to expand broadband adoption by more than 14,000 disconnected Ohioans in Cleveland, Akron and several Appalachian counties. "Connect Your Community" will create 58 direct new jobs in Ohio.

OneCommunity has received a total of $18.5 million in ARRA resources for the "Connect Your Community" program, which will also facilitate projects in Florida, Michigan, Mississippi and Kentucky.

In 2008, the Strickland Administration created Connect Ohio, a plan to compile and map broadband availability in Ohio, including location, available speed and type of technology delivering the service.

In December last year, the State of Ohio was awarded a $1.8 million federal grant from NTIA to help gather broadband availability data to support the development of a National Broadband Map...