Utah Broadband Project
OVERVIEW The Utah Broadband Project is a joint effort between the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Utah Automated Geographic Reference Center (AGRC), to develop a statewide map of available broadband services and a plan to increase broadband adoption and deployment in the State. The project will help identify critical unserved or underserved areas and populations. This information will help in the development of a plan to expand affordable, reliable broadband services to every citizen of the State. Like electricity a century ago, high-speed Internet access, or “broadband” is now a driver for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life. It provides the capability for people to interact in new ways, resulting in the creation of new industries, and is unlocking vast new opportunities for existing ones. It is changing how we educate children; deliver health care; manage energy; ensure public safety; engage government; and access, organize and disseminate knowledge. The Utah Broadband Project has formed public-private partnerships with broadband providers across the State. With the engagement of these providers, the Project will establish a quantifiable long-term vision for expanding reliable high-speed Internet access statewide. The Project team is working closely with providers as well as anchor institutions and public-interest organizations focusing on higher education, K-12, health care, public safety, libraries, economic development and tribal entities to identify currently unserved or underserved areas and populations.
Ensuring broadband access to both rural and urban Utah communities is a priority for the Utah Broadband Project. Here, fiber is being laid along the I-80 corridor.
Governor’s Office of Economic Development • Annual Report • www.business.utah.gov
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