Affirmations

"I urge you to work with, facilitate, and encourage public-private partnerships like Connect Ohio. These programs are taking hold and proving to be an effective method of achieving the goal of ubiquitous broadband that we share."

Governor Ted Strickland
Governor of Ohio
More from Governor Strickland

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“It is extremely important to the economic development of this region of Ohio. If we’re going to stay competitive (in Ohio) we need this.”

Senator George Voinovich (OH)
Logan Daily News
August 6, 2008

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"(The) Connect Ohio Initiative is a timely and much-needed step toward Ohio holding its economic place and then advancing into the future. "

Our View: Strickland plugs Ohio into the future with new broadband development
Lorain Morning Journal
December 18, 2007

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"What we hope to do is bridge the digital divide in ways that will be good for all Ohio communities and all Ohioans."

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland
Dayton Daily News
December 17, 2007

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"When you grow up in an isolated place, the Internet is how you learn about the world. We want to close the gap between the haves and the havenots, and the Internet is one of the great levelers."

Ira Dye, Meigs County, Ohio Resident
Athens Messenger Article
June 27, 2008

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"If we want our citizens to be technologically equal to others in the world -- and our state to be economically competitive -- it is crucial that they have broadband access. This partnership with Connected Nation and Verizon's increased broadband investment this year will help keep West Virginia on track to reach its goal."

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin
CNN Article
August 15, 2007

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"If it works in Kentucky, in such a rural state, I think it could provide wonders nationwide."

Congressman Rick Boucher
Courier-Journal Article
June 9, 2007

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"Connecting the nation starts in Kentucky."  

Connecting the Nation Starts in Kentucky
App-Rising
September 14, 2007

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"The Commonwealth of Kentucky has had some amazing success in creating the conditions necessary to achieve a nearly 100 percent broadband coverage level. (My)legislation will allow other states...to replicate their successes."

Congressman Zack Space (OH -18)
Logan Daily News
October 3, 2007

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"There is more that must be done to connect all Americans to this transformative technology."

Tom Tauke, Executive Vice President
Verizon
More from Mr. Tauke

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“When you try to find the resources to address all of the needs, sometimes we just fall a little short. So, when we have corporate partners who step up to meet some of those deficiencies, it’s a huge help.”

Kentucky State Senator Ed Worley
Richmond Register Article
September 25, 2007

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“The data gathered by Connected Tennessee allows us to see for the first time where improvement is needed and work to localize our efforts.”

Governor Phil Bredesen, Tennessee
Tennessee County News
January - February 2008

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"One of the goals of (ConnectedTennessee) is to establish leadership teams in every county. The technology has proved that it can bridge the gap for households and businesses in remarkable ways. It can make every household feel connected and can be a business generator, as well."

State survey is a road map to needs in broadband reach
The Tennessean
May 23, 2008

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"Almost half of low-income families in our state cite lack of a computer as the reason they don't access the Internet. That's where Computers 4 Kids comes in."

Giving kids laptops is a good investment
Jackson (Tennessee) Sun Editorial
June 25, 2008

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"The computer opens up a whole new world for them."

Mary Elliot
Bradley County Tennessee Department of Children’s Services
More from Ms. Elliot

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"Tennessee needs to be connected, and Connected Tennessee is aimed at making sure it happens."

Expanding broadband in state is worthy goal
Knoxville News Sentinel
May 23, 2007

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Connect Kentucky is “helping to develop the state into a more business-friendly place for everyone.”

Mike Buchanon, County Judge-Executive
Warren County, Kentucky
More from Judge Buchanon

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Kentucky is one of "seven places that took a different approach to economic development - and came out ahead."  

Faster and Stronger
The Wall Street Journal
July 28, 2008

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“What we know here today is that ConnectKentucky is a national leader in economic development. Soon a lot of other folks will know this.”

Asst. Secretary Sandy Baruah
Economic Development Administration
For more on the 2006 Excellence in Economic Development Award

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"ConnectKentucky's mapping effort was preceded by years of research and discussions with state agencies, local officials, economic development organizations, business leaders, consumers and broadband providers. Their statistical surveys and this constructive dialogue culminated in a collaborative approach to broadband expansion - which has been broadly supported by Kentucky government at all levels."  

Mark David Goss, Chairman
Kentucky Public Service Commission (2004-2008)
More from Mark David Goss

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"Connected Nation has demonstrated that with very little investment, states can be productive in addressing the broadband issue and can achieve remarkable results in a short period of time."     

Jack Blossman, Chairman
Louisiana Public Service Commission
For more from Chairman Blossman

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"It is true that individual states also collect data, some of it more granular than the FCC’s…. the ConnectKentucky initiative has gained widespread currency as a model for state mapping and data collection."  

Measuring Broadband:  Improving Communications Policymaking through Better Data Collection
University of Texas at Austin
June 2006 Report

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"Based on our analysis, we believe that the use of subscriber indicators at the zip-code level ... may overstate terrestrially based deployment. We were able to check these findings for one state—Kentucky—where ConnectKentucky, a state alliance on broadband, had done an extensive analysis of its broadband deployment."  

US Government Accountability Office
May 2006 Report

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“Through its experience in Kentucky, Connected Nation provides an incredibly successful model for stimulating broadband build out and demand that should be adopted nationally.”

Kenneth R. Peres, PhD, President
Alliance for Public Technology
For more from Kenneth Peres

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“The process begun by Connected Nation in Kentucky can and should serve as a model for efforts across the US.”

Charles Kaylor, Principal
Public Sphere Information Group
For more from Charles Kaylor

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“(My) proposed legislation builds on the positive developments we’ve witnessed in the State of Kentucky in terms of increasing broadband penetration and access. Much of that success was enabled by the work of the public-private Connect Kentucky partnership.”

Senator Dick Durbin
Assistant Majority Leader from Illinois
For more from Senator Durbin

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“We’re very proud of (ConnectKentucky’s) success and we’re going to work with them to make sure that they continue to be successful.”

Governor Steve Beshear
Commonwealth of Kentucky
For more from Governor Beshear

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“Connected Nation’s research shows that job generating power of having people connected to broadband. I look forward to learning more from their groundbreaking work…”

Graham Richard, Former Mayor
Fort Wayne, Indiana
For more from Graham Richard

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“Connected Nation’s economic impact study spotlights not only the positive benefits that will result from the build out of true high-speed broadband networks, but reinforces the critical need for a national broadband policy and the broadband mapping bills that Congress now is considering.”

Larry Cohen, President
Communications Workers of America
For more from Larry Cohen

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“It’s hard to try when it feels like no one cares and no one is there for you. Now it feels like someone is there.”

Lotez Holloway
Computers 4 Kids Recipient

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“Just the look on these kid’s faces – they were ecstatic about getting these computers.”

Rita Morgan
Parent of No Child Left Offline Recipient
For more about Ms. Morgan's story

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"Without the ConnectKentucky maps and the work of ConnectKentucky staff in the field to keep the maps current and accurate, Pendleton County would never had had the tools to develop our network, and we would very likely still have more than half of our residents without broadband."

Henry Bertram, County Judge Executive
Pendleton County, Kentucky
For more from Judge Executive Bertram

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"As you and your colleagues at the FCC work to develop national broadband policies, I encourage you to find creative ways that you could use the ConnectKentucky model."

Jiten Shah, Executive Director
Green River Area Development District
For more from Jiten Shah

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"Our small community is full of artisans and craftsman who can now sell their products all over the world. We would probably still be on dial-up if it weren't for ConnectKentucky bringing us together with Southeast Telephone to build support and find funds for broadband infrastructure."

Dennis Atha, Mayor
City of Monterey, Kentucky
For more from Mayor Atha

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"While it is evident that ConnectKentucky works with local officials and broadband providers in Kentucky to bring the highest bandwidth solutions to each citizen and business, ConnectKentucky is also realistic enough to understand that there is not always a viable business case for fiber to every home – which was the case for us – we simply did not have the funding for a fiber optic system, nor did our citizens want to be taxed for it."

Hal Goode, Executive Director
Springfield-Washington Economic Development Authority
For more from Hal Goode

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"It is my opinion that ConnectKentucky and other programs like it are an invaluable tool to help communities help themselves. Their invaluable leadership and knowledge base helps to create a public-private partnership that stimulates the local economy, promotes education, increases tourism and development, and offers increased access to broadband in underdeveloped or rural areas."

Brent Graden, Director of Economic Development
City of Prestonsburg, Kentucky
For more from Brent Graden

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John Hall, Chairman
ConnectKentucky Steering Committee
For more from John Hall