BroadbandOhio Community Accelerator, a collaborative by Ohio State University Extension community development in partnership with BroadbandOhio, is advancing broadband access for Ohio producers, enhancing precision agriculture in areas where connectivity is limited or inaccessible.
The program consists of an educational series aimed at empowering counties with the resources to bring broadband to their areas, said Kyle White, educator, community development, OSU Extension.
“Community participants learn about broadband basics, terminology, reasonable expectations, and resources to fund broadband,” White said. “They learn how, with support from BroadbandOhio, to access grants and other funding sources.”
“The ultimate goal is to provide minimum-speed broadband coverage of 100/20 megabits per second [Mbps] to every resident in Ohio who desires it.”
Counties apply for acceptance to the program, and BroadbandOhio selects the final cohort, usually consisting of five to six counties per workshop series. The series includes 10-12 weekly classes led by subject matter experts. Each class consists of one hour of education followed by a breakout room discussion and worksheet completion related to the topic.
The program focuses on underserved (those with broadband service offering speeds of 100/20 Mbps) and unserved (those without any broadband service or with service offering speeds below 25/3 Mbps) populations that desire broadband coverage.
Program staff work with BroadbandOhio and internet service providers (ISPs) to leverage federal and other grants for broadband. The target audience includes counties with spotty broadband coverage; documented, poor internet speeds; and/or coverage that does not meet the users’ needs.
Several counties have produced a strategic plan for broadband service based on the education and worksheets in the series. Some outputs of the classes include updated broadband maps that more accurately reflect the actual broadband service in areas. Counties create surveys for their constituents to gather data on their broadband experience and learn how to build relationships with ISPs.
“The program is ongoing and will continue until everyone is served or until there are no more counties interested in participating,” White said. “This is a partnership between OSU Extension and BroadbandOhio, which is very beneficial to the residents of Ohio.”
“The BroadbandOhio Community Accelerator program is paving the way for a connected future, ensuring that Ohio stays at the forefront of technological advancement and agricultural innovation.”