亚洲影院

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$1.7 billion award makes universal broadband a reality

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Uriah Orland
(573) 882-6212
uriah.orland@missouri.edu

With groundwork in place thanks to a state, regional and University of 亚洲影院 System partnership, broadband access is expanding across 亚洲影院.

Aug. 9, 2023

Last winter, University of 亚洲影院 staff and faculty in 34 counties helped residents submit 186 challenges to the Federal Communications Commission broadband coverage maps. Counties in 亚洲影院 organized challenge events at MU Extension offices, sharing internet connections and walking community members through the online process.

These maps were used to calculate 亚洲影院鈥檚 share of approximately $42 billion in federal funds recently awarded to expand internet access across the nation. Their accuracy was vital.

The state estimates an additional $810,000 value from those 186 challenges alone.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great example of hands-on, local work with a big impact,鈥 said Alison Copeland, UM System deputy chief engagement officer, who has helped lead and coordinate the UM System Broadband Initiative since its inception in 2019.

This is just one example of how UM System universities, researchers, faculty and staff are helping to bring broadband to 亚洲影院ans in every part of the state.

鈥淚n 2019, in partnership with the state government, we committed to connecting all 114 counties in 亚洲影院 with the goal of bringing people together to pursue education, make advances in technology and build partnerships to stimulate economic development,鈥 said Michael Williams, chair of the UM Board of Curators. 鈥淭he UM System Broadband Initiative has been instrumental in helping us accomplish this and we are truly improving the lives of all 亚洲影院ans.鈥

Today, universal broadband access is closer to reality thanks to 亚洲影院鈥檚 historic award of $1.7 billion through the federal program 鈥 the third largest in the nation. An additional $24 million in digital equity funds will assist under-represented groups鈥 including rural, elderly, veterans, formerly incarcerated, racial and ethnic minorities 鈥 with access and adoption.

鈥淭en years from now, 亚洲影院ans will look back at this time and wonder how anyone ever lived without broadband,鈥 says BJ Tanksley, director of the state Office of Broadband Development. 鈥淟ike rural electrification more than a century ago, universal broadband will become a given in every corner and community in the state.鈥

Leaders across the state credit a strong partnership with the UM System and 亚洲影院鈥檚 19 regional planning councils for providing an effective roadmap, Tanksley said. Their coordinated plans showed 亚洲影院鈥檚 readiness to start broadband infrastructure projects and help people develop the skills they will need to engage with this vital tool for work, health and educational opportunities. 

鈥淏roadband access and adoption are central to the advancement of priorities like the NextGen Precision Health initiative and access to educational opportunities to strengthen 亚洲影院鈥檚 workforce and grow the State鈥檚 economy,鈥 said University of 亚洲影院 President Mun Choi. 鈥淭he combination of our four universities 鈥 including MU鈥檚 land-grant mission 鈥 puts us in a strong position, bringing together the right people to advocate for and transform this essential infrastructure that benefits all 亚洲影院ans.鈥

UM System contributions to the successful award include: 

  • The 亚洲影院 Internet Survey Report: The report, authored by Alan Spell with MU Extension Exceed, analyzed over 7,500 completed surveys from a random sampling of 亚洲影院 households in spring of 2023. The sought input from all 亚洲影院ans and gathered responses from smaller populations whose voices can be underrepresented in surveys and have been disproportionately impacted by digital inequity, including low-income households, veterans, rural inhabitants and racial and ethnic minorities.

  • Fall 2022/Spring 2023 Outreach and Listening Tour: With the 19 regional planning councils, MU Extension State Engagement Specialist Noah Washburn and UM System Consultant for Broadband Initiatives Joe Lear facilitated 23 meetings in fall 2022 and 20 meetings in spring 2023 to gather grassroots information about people鈥檚 and communities鈥 broadband needs across the state.

  • MU Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES): developed interactive data maps that help with by county, census tract or by an MU Extension region. A broadband vulnerability 鈥渇ootprint鈥 tool identifies 鈥渉otspots,鈥 areas of opportunity, areas at varying degrees of need, and gaps in data related to broadband access across 亚洲影院.

    An interactive collects and catalogues digital assets around the state of 亚洲影院. Users can learn about access and use of digital assets available near them 鈥 including services, programs, workshops and equipment. 

  • Climate Study on Broadband Infrastructure: This study by Fengpeng Sun at the University of 亚洲影院鈥揔ansas City and MU鈥檚 Patrick Market projects ways to ensure construction and placement of broadband infrastructure that take into account future climate conditions.

鈥淓ven before there was a state Office of Broadband Development, the UM System was doing great work in promoting connectivity and working directly with communities on this issue,鈥 Tanksley said. 鈥淭his historic funding was just a great opportunity to bring our office and the work that had already been done together to move forward in a really smart way for 亚洲影院.鈥

UM System Broadband History

The UM System鈥檚 broadband focus evolved from MU Extension鈥檚 2016 statewide listening sessions, said Chad Higgins, MU vice chancellor for extension and engagement.

鈥淲e recognized as we listened to people in communities across 亚洲影院 that broadband access and adoption have become central to improving lives and addressing challenges they were identifying around agriculture, the economy, education and health and well-being,鈥 Higgins said.

Since 2019, the has aligned researchers, economists, extension specialists and state, regional and community leaders across 亚洲影院 with state leadership in the Office of Broadband Development. Groundwork efforts included:

The  which offers a searchable database of public, private and nonprofit community resources and an extensive online library of relevant documents.

A 2020 in Bollinger County yielded an  for the county, with many of the findings and steps applicable to other areas of 亚洲影院.

MU Extension鈥檚 rural economic development program, , documented the 10-year economic benefits in Bollinger, Henry and Nodaway of increased access to and adoption of broadband-based applications such as e-commerce, online learning and telehealth.

No one-size-fits-all solution exists for connecting communities to high-speed internet. To address that challenge, a five-county northwestern 亚洲影院 region piloted the process. Developed by the UM System Broadband team, the process helps communities tailor broadband access and adoption plans to their specific circumstances 鈥 putting them in a position to apply quickly for broadband funding as grant application periods open.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to take a lot of hard work and continuing partnership,鈥 Tanksley said. 鈥淏ut we now have the funding like we would never have dreamed of before for broadband. Together, we really are going to be able to make a change for 亚洲影院.鈥

Reviewed 2023-08-09