Ohio Broadband Adoption Grows Twice as Fast as the National Average
Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment Reports 66 Percent of Ohio Residents Now Subscribe to Broadband.
Columbus, OH (Vocus) July 2, 2010
More Ohioans own a computer and subscribe to broadband service than last year, according to Connect Ohio (http://www. connectohio. org)’s 2010 statewide Residential Technology Assessment released Friday.
Connect Ohio presented the figures during its Technology Association quarterly update meeting at the Riffe Center in Columbus.
With two-thirds of Ohio residents subscribing to broadband, Ohio ranks higher than the national average of 60 percent of adults who have high-speed Internet service in their home.
“We’re pleased by the increases in technology and broadband adoption numbers across the state,” Connect Ohio Executive Director Tom Fritz said. “But we’re concerned that 1.6 million adults across the state still don’t have access to a home computer. Our research indicates 67 percent of those who don’t have a computer at home don’t believe or understand why they need one. Our mission is to help educate the public by using a private-public partnership with local and state governments, Internet providers, and individual residents.”
Additional statistics released Friday show that the typical Ohio resident who uses the Internet owns a computer (82 percent), searches for product and service information online (77 percent), uses e-mail (86 percent), participates in social networking sites (52 percent), purchases goods online (74 percent), takes part in online banking (62 percent), pays bills online (61 percent), and books travel arrangements online (58 percent).
The complete report can be found at http://www. connectohio. org/_documents/Binder1.pdf (http://www. connectohio. org/_documents/Binder1.pdf)
More Ohioans using technology in the home is welcome news as the state reports improving job growth numbers. Increased broadband use can have a significant impact in improving economic conditions – luring businesses to communities and helping
People save money and access better job opportunities through the Web. According to a report from the Brookings Institution, broadband investment can create more than half a million new jobs over the next five years. An economic impact report produced by Connected Nation shows that Ohio could see an economic impact of $5.1 billion by accelerating broadband availability and use to enable new job growth, telecommuting opportunities, and healthcare cost savings among other benefits.
Representatives from Connect Ohio along with partnering media companies and nonprofit organizations also discussed the Public Adoption through Libraries II/Every Citizen Online Adoption Project presented by Connect Ohio.
Public Utilities Commission Section Chief Marianne Townsend also talked about the impact of the recently passed Telecom Bill.
About Connect Ohio:
Connect Ohio 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. Visit http://www. connectohio. org (http://www. connectohio. org) for more information.
RELATED LINKS:
Connect Ohio Facebook page (http://www. facebook. com/ConnectOhio)
Connect Ohio Twitter page (http://www. twitter. com/ConnectOH)
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