This document discusses broadband access in Utah and efforts to expand it. It notes that Utah has the highest home broadband adoption rate and fastest internet speeds in the nation. The Utah Broadband Project aims to map broadband services, increase adoption, and develop a plan to expand deployment. While rural Utah faces challenges like lower population density, a survey found rural communities have similar adoption rates and prices as non-rural areas. Regional councils are identifying local broadband issues to inform state leaders on priorities like increasing collaboration and educating communities.

1. Tools For Broadband Investment
Kelleigh Cole
Broadband Project Manager

2. What is Broadband?
Broadband refers to high-speed Internet access, which
can be obtained through several technologies such as
wireless, fiber, cable, DSL and satellite
Utah is #1 in home broadband adoption in the nation
with 80% of homes in subscribed to the Internet
According to Akamai Technologies, Utah has the 5th
fastest Internet speeds with the #1 fastest Internet in
the west, outranking California
108 cities in Utah increased their broadband speeds to
over 1 Gig from 2010 to 2013

3. How Does Broadband Impact the Day-to-Day Lives of Utahns?
Education
Economic
Development
Healthcare Transportation
Public Safety Agriculture
Energy and
Environment
Tourism

4. Utah Broadband Project
Purpose
• Map available
broadband services
• Develop a plan to
increase broadband
adoption and
deployment

5. Mapping Efforts
Map service areas of all residential broadband
service providers who own infrastructure

6. Utah Broadband Map

7. Current State Coverage
• 97. 14% of Utah
households have access to
3Mbps
• 95.60% of Utah
households have access at
or above 10 Mbps
• 84.16 % of Utah
households have access to
25 Mbps

8. Broadband Challenges in Rural Utah
• Lower population density
• Higher deployment cost
• Greater geographical
distances
• Coordinating with federal
land agencies

9. 2011 Utah Broadband Adoption Survey Results
Utah’s rural communities do not have a lower
broadband adoption rate than their non-rural
counterparts
Many of Utah’s rural communities are able to
identify multiple broadband options in their area
Utah’s rural communities do not pay higher prices
for Internet service than their non-rural
counterparts, and are even willing to pay more for
broadband services

10. Regional Planning Efforts
Regional Broadband Planning
Councils
• Identify key issues
• Conduct a needs
assessment
• Identify recommendations
and priorities
• Draft a regional plan (June
2014)

11. Regional Planning Efforts
Goals
• Increase collaboration on a
local level between public
and private stakeholders
• Educate local stakeholders
on broadband issues
• Inform state leadership on
local broadband issues

12. Broadband Friendly Communities
High Capacity Connections
Broadband Business Development
Web Development
Tools To Encourage Broadband Investment in Your Community