TechNet State Broadband Index rates states on indicators of broadband adoption, network quality, and economic structure as a way of taking stock of where each state stands. Here’s a list of their top 15 states:
- Washington
- Massachusetts
- Delaware
- Maryland
- California
- New Jersey
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Utah
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Pennsylvania
- Oregon
- New Hampshire
- Texas
What’s missing? Minnesota!
Minnesota came in 19th with an index score of 100, which is also the average index value. We not close to the Minnesota State Broadband Goals: to be in the top five states for broadband speed universally accessible to residents and businesses; to be in the top five states for broadband access; or to be in the top 15 when compared to countries globally for broadband penetration. We’re not even hitting the traditional Minnesota goal of well above average!
Here’s a breakdown of Minnesota’s scores:
- Adoption: 94
- Network Speeds: 81
- Economic Structure (is state economy oriented toward tech/broadband?) : 125
The report also details Minnesota stats from other sources:
- Broadband adoption – 71 percent
- Homes passed by fiber – 5.9 percent
TechNet shares a list of the promising approaches to promoting broadband in a state:
- Governors who show an interest in developing broadband are a spur to building the coalitions and institutions that can enhance broadband infrastructure deployment and adoption in a state.
- Closely associated with executive and legislative leadership is funding for infrastructure (often done in a way to leverage private funding or incentivize private investment), and initiatives to promote broadband adoption among citizens.
- Bringing stakeholders together in the public, private, and non-profit sector is often easier said than done.
- Institutionalizing planning efforts can give broadband advocates a stronger voice in debates about infrastructure in the state, while providing a long-term perspective on how policy choices impact broadband outcomes.
