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Broadband Outreach Center
OVERVIEW
U.C.A. 63N-12-301
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The Utah Broadband Outreach Center is a state program focused on mapping available broadband services and working with broadband providers, communities and other stakeholders to promote the development of additional infrastructure in Utah .
The Utah Broadband Outreach Center supports the Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s mission to enhance quality of life by increasing Utah’s revenue base and improving employment opportunities . Broadband plays a critical role in Utah’s commercial growth and residential quality of life .
The Utah Broadband Advisory Council
The Utah Broadband Outreach Center plays a key role in fulfilling GOED’s mission objective to support and leverage both partner agencies and community leaders to create proactive, unique economic development solutions statewide . The Utah Broadband Advisory Council was formed in June 2011 and meets regularly to examine the condition of broadband adoption and deployment in the state of Utah . The council provides the Governor and Legislature with recommendations and policy guidance . Members of the council represent a diverse group of interests including economic development, state and local government, health care, education, libraries, transportation, public safety and tribal entities .
Going forward, the council will engage in targeted approaches to aggregate demand for broadband deployment and extend resources to improve broadband use and accessibility across the state .
Since the I-15 Reconstruction Project surrounding the 2002 Olympics, UDOT has woven broadband into rights-of-way along state roads. The Center promotes similar infrastructure projects statewide.
The Utah Broadband Plan
In October 2014, the outreach center published the Utah Broadband Plan, which is focused on monitoring, improving and promoting the economic health of both urban and rural communities and details strategies and key initiatives to help increase broadband deployment, adoption and connectivity throughout the state . The plan was developed based on feedback from cities, counties, broadband providers, libraries, health care institutions, Native American tribes, businesses and educational institutions . A copy of the plan can be found at http://broadband .utah .gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BroadbandPlan2014FINAL .pdf .
Utah Broadband Mapping
The Utah Broadband Outreach Center works with providers throughout the state to collect data on the availability, speed, technology and coverage areas for residential and commercial broadband services . These services are a key element in attracting new investors and companies, while supporting the expansion of existing Utah businesses .
Utah Broadband Map - The state’s residential broadband map, located at broadband .utah .gov/map, allows users to view services available at an address, a city, a county or a legislative district . The information can be filtered by speed, provider and technology type .
Locate .utah .gov - This site allows users to explore the state’s broadband availability, utility information, transportation, workforce and lifestyle features . It also allows developers to evaluate potential locations and print customized reports with detailed summaries of available infrastructure .
Utah Broadband Accolades
Akamai’s First Quarter 2015 State of the Internet report cited Utah as the fastest average Internet connection speed in the West . Utah was ranked No . 4 overall . Utah also ranks fifteenth in the world for peak broadband speeds .
In August 2014, Governing Magazine ranked Utah the most Mobile-Friendly Government because of the number of government services available on mobile devices .
In September 2015, locate .utah .gov received a Digital Government Achievement Award in the government to business category .
For additional information about the Utah Broadband Outreach Center, visit broadband.utah.gov or contact Program Director Kelleigh Cole at kcole@utah.gov or 801-538-8831.
