Connect Ohio’s 2011 second quarter Technology Association Meeting was held Friday, June 24 in Columbus and included 59 stakeholders, broadband providers, and library and community representatives. New statewide and county-level technology adoption data was released at the meeting. Through a survey of Ohio adults, Connect Ohio’s parent organization, Connected Nation, gathered detailed technology analysis exploring the adoption of computers and broadband use into households throughout the state. The last time an assessment with this detail was completed was in 2008.
Statewide data highlights:
· Currently, 80% of Ohioans own a computer, which is an increase from 2008 (76%), but a decrease from 2010 (82%). While traditional computer use is leveling, there is a marked increase in the number of Ohioans who rely on a mobile device as their primary access to broadband service.
· 60% of Ohioans own a desktop computer and 45% own a laptop computer. Reliance on laptop computers and other portable devices is surging.
· Home broadband adoption has increased to 66% in 2011 from 55% in 2008. However, home broadband adoption leveled from last year, which was also 66%.
· Ohio’s home broadband adoption rate is above the national average for 2011, which is 63%.
· 72% of Ohio adults either subscribe to home broadband service or use mobile broadband service.
· Average download speeds have steadily increased in Ohio, increasing from 1.7 Mbps in 2008 to 6.3 Mbps in 2011.
County-level data highlights:
· In Franklin County, household broadband adoption grew from 67% in 2008 to 72% in 2011.
· Crawford County broadband adoption grew from just 31% in 2008 to 69% in 2011, a 123% growth.
· Meigs, Monroe, and Noble counties’ household broadband adoption growth was more than 150% between 2008 and 2011.
The full statewide data report can be viewed at http://connectohio.org/mapping_and_research/residential_and_business_technology_assessments.php.
County-specific data will be released in the next week.
The meeting also detailed the current status of the Every Citizen Online (ECO) program, a two-year effort to increase sustainable broadband adoption for more than 200,000 state residents by providing free computer training sessions throughout Ohio. Since the program’s launch in late December, 222 locations are offering the ECO program, more than 7,200 Ohio adults have taken advantage of the free basic computer training, and more than 8,600 have registered for training through the online site http://eco.connectohio.org/.
Connect Ohio Technical Outreach Manager Bart Winegar gave attendees an overview of current last-mile assistance projects in Ohio, which include the following 8 counties: Carroll, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Morgan, Perry, Vinton, and Washington. The last-mile projects offer assistance to Ohio communities that lack access to broadband by identifying, researching, and mapping unserved areas and interacting with local planning teams to determine the best practices to increase broadband capacity in that area. Winegar also presented details of recent broadband expansion activity.
View more photos from the meeting on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.222923964409011.62465.107218675979541.
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