About Nebraska Broadband

Objectives

• To increase economic development opportunities, attract and retain population, overcome the barriers of distance, and enhance quality of life in Nebraska by facilitating the continuing deployment of broadband technologies which meet the need for increasing connection speeds.
• To facilitate digital literacy and the widespread adoption of broadband technologies in business, agriculture, health care, education, government and by individual Nebraskans.

Read the Plan Here

How We Started

This Broadband Mapping and Planning Initiative was funded through a grant (January 2010 - January 2015) to the Nebraska Public Service Commission by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration and aims to increase broadband adoption and utilization.

The Nebraska Broadband Initiative is part of a larger national effort to facilitate the integration of broadband and information technology into state and local economics. Economic development, energy efficiency, and advances in education and health care rely not only on broadband infrastructure, but also on the knowledge and tools to leverage that infrastructure.

The Initiative focused on the following project areas:

• Mapping
• Planning
• Capacity Building
• Technical Assistance
• Regional Planning

Mapping

The statewide mapping effort strived to collect accurate data that is critical for Broadband planning. Broadband availability, speed and location is displayed on the map as well as broadband services at community anchor institutions, such as schools, libraries and hospitals. Residents also have the opportunity to provide feedback on their Broadband service.

Capacity Building

The Capacity Building project area focused on:

• benchmark technology use in relevant community sectors;
• set goals for improved technology use;
• develop plans for achieving identified goals;
• recommend specific web-based application development and demand creation.

Technical Assistance

The Nebraska Broadband Technical Assistance project area provided technical assistance and technology to support entrepreneurs, local governments, chambers of commerce, and economic developers -- especially in areas with low broadband subscribership.

• Learn more about the National Broadband Mapping and Planning Initiative
• View Quarterly Impact Reports on the Nebraska project
• View Final Reports to the NTIA on the Nebraska Broadband Initiative

Project partners include the University of Nebraska, Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Nebraska Information Technology Commission, Nebraska Public Service Commission, and the AIM Institute.

• View contact information from our partners

Moving Forward

• Explore options to continue broadband mapping efforts.
• Explore partnerships to work with Nebraska communities on broadband development.
• Explore options for continuing the Connecting Nebraska Broadband Conference.
• Work with the Nebraska Library Commission and other stakeholders to encourage libraries to offer coding classes.
• Work with libraries and the Nebraska Library Commission to explore broadband connectivity models.
• Continue to engage stakeholders in conversations about broadband and the development of additional action items.