As evidenced by a recent surge of public investment in technology, the nexus between broadband access and a community’s economic wellbeing is becoming more defined.
Funding in 2009’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act reinforced the idea that broadband access leads to fundamental and sustainable economic growth. Broadband, which is commonly defined as high-speed Internet service, enhances educational and workforce training opportunities, and drives innovation — factors that encourage a robust and thriving economy and can help the nation compete in today’s global economy.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in 2011, the United States is ranked 15th among 30 developed and developing nations in deploying broadband services. This is a significant decline from the 1990s, when the United States was a global leader in providing broadband access.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Broadband Access: An Economic Development Tool for Cities | nlc.org
