State efforts to promote broadband access and adoption could significantly benefit schools as well as students' at-home resources. Broadband access also economic and health benefits, and for all of these reason, the National Governor's Association explores state strategies for promoting broadband deployment and adoption in a new issue brief.

"Governors recognize the economic and social promise broadband holds, whether for helping businesses grow, increasing access to health care or enhancing public safety," said John Thomasian, director of the NGA Center. "That's why states are playing a prominent role in helping the private sector expand broadband access."

Rural areas, in particular, lack broadband resources. The NGA points out that it is very costly to build the infrastructure that connects remote rural areas to broadband service, and this challenge has led to a disparity between urban (73 percent) versus rural (55 percent) broadband adoption rates. States have used a variety of strategies to increase broadband access and adoption.

• Establishing a task force with public and private stakeholders to evaluate the current state of broadband deployment and identify beneficial policy changes;
• Providing tax incentives designed to encourage investment in broadband infrastructure as well as other related equipment and expenses;
• Creating dedicated funding that allows states to leverage private sector funds for investing in the infrastructure, thus maximizing their return on investment and expanding broadband availability in the most efficient way possible;
• Mapping broadband availability to help both policymakers and service providers determine where to focus their efforts and reveal gaps in service to providers who wish to expand their offerings; and
• Engaging local communities to increase grassroots demand that encourages providers to deploy broadband in previously unserved areas.

The issue brief further defines state efforts and offers examples of implementation strategies. It also defines how broadband access can spur economic development and improve quality of life.

Source:NGA Press Release. State Efforts To Expand Broadband Access and PDF of the complete paper.