Broadband Research Findings Presented to the South Carolina Public Service Commission

Connected Nation’s Senior Stakeholder Relations Manager Corey Johns and Public Policy Director Raquel Noriega were in Columbia, South Carolina on December 2 to present a program review, research results, and a planning update at the South Carolina Public Service Commission Telecommunications Workshop.

The commissioners were provided with an overview of the state’s interactive broadband availability map, research findings about barriers to broadband adoption, and observations about South Carolina’s broadband landscape including advancement opportunities and projected 2011 Connect South Carolina program activities. Download the presentation here.

A key portion of the presentation was devoted to examining the 2010 South Carolina Statewide Broadband Inventory. This is the first broadband inventory in South Carolina to break out the data by both speed tiers and platforms. It provides policymakers with a unique perspective on the state’s broadband infrastructure and illustrates the progress South Carolina is making towards meeting the broadband adoption goals established on a national level.

For instance, the National Broadband Plan targets 4 Mbps for download speeds. This inventory shows that 89% of the South Carolina households served have a download speed of at least 10 Mbps.

In looking at the state’s platform comparisons, DSL is available to 88% of South Carolina households, and cable modem is available to 79% of these residents. However, fiber to the home is available to 1.3%.

These findings will be published in a larger study early next year.

For more information about what Connect South Carolina is doing to promote broadband adoption in South Carolina communities, visit http://www.connectsc.org/.