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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Gov. Beshear announces $2.1 million State Broadband Data and Development Grant
 FRANKFORT, Ky.—In an effort to expand the availability and use of broadband services throughout the state, Gov. Steve Beshear today announced that Kentucky has been awarded a $2.1 million grant to fund broadband mapping and planning. The State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program, administered by the federal Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
“High-speed Internet access is a vital tool for economic development, education and job creation,” said Gov. Beshear. “This grant is a major step toward increasing Internet services in unserved or underserved areas in the Commonwealth so that all Kentuckians have access to the world through connectivity.”
NTIA has awarded the Finance and Administration Cabinet’s Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) approximately $1.6 million for broadband data collection and mapping activities over a two-year period and $500,000 for broadband planning of improvements and expansion activities over a five-year period.
“Broadband data collection is an integral step toward our final goal, which is to ensure that all regions, citizens and businesses have the tools available to them to compete in the 21st century economy,” said Jonathan Miller, secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet. “The results of this reporting and planning process will leave us better equipped to move our state and our citizens forward to keep pace with technology.”
The process of evaluating the current accessibility of high-speed Internet access in the state will occur in three phases: the collection of existing broadband services, verification of the collected data and the reporting of the results to the NTIA. Specifically, the statewide assessment will include data on the availability, speed, location and technology type of broadband services.
Kentucky’s report will be included in a comprehensive, interactive, searchable national broadband map that NTIA is required by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create and make publicly available by Feb. 17, 2011.
Information will be collected from public and private broadband providers throughout the state by Michael Baker Corporation, a nationally recognized engineering firm specializing in geographic information systems (GIS) mapping. Michael Baker Corporation has also mapped broadband availability in California and North Carolina.
The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) in cooperation with state universities and community colleges will verify and field audit the collected information to ensure accuracy. The Kentucky universities and community colleges have the expertise and resources to perform the verification of the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program. Murray State University and the University of Louisville will lead the effort.
“We are pleased to see the expertise and resources of Kentucky’s postsecondary system being used to benefit the Commonwealth on this critical project,” said CPE president Robert King. “Broadband Internet access for all is a prerequisite to lifelong learning.”
In 2004, the Commonwealth of Kentucky began a mission to accelerate the growth of technology. The intent was to enhance support of community and economic development, improve healthcare, enhance education and provide more effective government. In order to meet this mission, the Commonwealth entered into an agreement with an outside provider to create and maintain a statewide broadband map. At the time, Kentucky was one of the first states to have such a far-reaching initiative.
While the project fulfilled the requirements at the time, updates are necessary due to the ever-changing technology, growth of households and expansion of broadband providers.
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