New broadband map reveals Ohio’s digital desert
A new Ohio Broadband Availability map released earlier this month, “presents a stark view of the state’s broadband infrastructure: If you don’t live in a city, you can’t get high speed internet. If you do live in a city, that’s still no guarantee,” according to a news release from Connecting Appalachia.
Connecting Appalachia is a consortium of local governments, regional economic development councils, and industry professionals with a single focus: increased economic opportunity for Appalachia by expanding access to quality, affordable broadband, the news release further stated.
The new map, developed by Reid Consulting Group on behalf of Connecting Appalachia, reportedly reveals half of all populated areas in Ohio access the internet at less than 10 Mbps down/1 Mbps up. Two-thirds of the state is below the FCC minimum of 25 Mbps down/3 Mbps up.