OHIO S BROADBAND LANDSCAPE

Transcription

1 OHIO S BROADBAND LANDSCAPE Jefferson Avenue, Suite 100 Columbus, OH Stu Johnson - Executive Director sjohnson@connectohio.org

2 Ohio s Broadband Landscape January 31, 2013 Dear Governor John R. Kasich, I am proud to submit the following report on Ohio s Broadband Landscape highlighting the results of Connect Ohio s efforts and research of our state s Internet access, adoption, and use. Among the many accolades bestowed upon our fine state, I felt it important to bring Ohio s current broadband situation to your attention for inclusion in your upcoming State of the State address. Approximately 6.3 million adults in Ohio subscribe to home broadband service. This means 71% of adult Ohioans have a home broadband subscription, an increase of five percentage points from 2011 and above the national average of 66%. As a contractor for the state of Ohio, Connect Ohio s broadband mapping has validated coverage for 102 broadband providers, indicating that 97.6% of Ohio households have access to at least 3 Mbps download speeds. v 20,416 previously unserved households in Appalachian Ohio were provided broadband access through the assistance of Connect Ohio s Technical Assistance staff and the Governor s Office of Appalachia. v 35,000 Ohioans have received Connect Ohio s free 6-hour basic computer and Internet training through our partnership with libraries, Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services agencies, colleges, community action organizations, and the like. v In cooperation with the Governor s Office of Appalachia, Connect Ohio, and Chesapeake Energy, the Connect Appalachia Broadband Initiative has established a charitable fund with the Foundation of Appalachian Ohio to support training, refurbished computers, and Internet services to Appalachian Ohio households in need. v Approximately 783,000 Ohioans rely on broadband to telework an average of 2.3 days per week. This allows for an estimated 2.19 billion fewer road miles travelled and a reduction of CO2 emissions by 1.97 billion pounds annually. While each benchmark is remarkable in its own right, there remains much to do. Ø Although statewide adoption spiked, broadband adoption in Appalachian Ohio remained flat at 53% - with digital literacy, relevance, and cost cited as the primary barriers that leave 1 in 3 Appalachian Ohio children without adequate Internet at their home. Statewide, 1 in 5 households with children do not have broadband service, meaning 540,000 children in Ohio are unable to use broadband at home for their schoolwork. Ø Nearly seven out of ten (or 234,000) low-income households in Rural Appalachian Ohio do not have home broadband service that could help connect them to better jobs and educational resources Connect Ohio

3 Ø 505,300 Ohio citizens in Rural Appalachian Ohio live in areas unserved by broadband providers. Ø 81% of those who do not currently subscribe to broadband in their homes indicate that they do not possess the knowledge required to access the Internet or use . These and other challenges present tremendous opportunity for Connect Ohio to continue our history of creating positive impact for Ohioans and is ambitiously pursuing expanded programs, including the following: Connect Ohio has partnered with Frontier Communications and was awarded a grant from the FCC to conduct a Lifeline Pilot Project which will provide low-income Ohioans with training, computers, and discounted Internet service. Connect Ohio will be launching three Connected Factories pilot programs that will combine our Every Citizen Online training platform with employer-based curriculum which will result in immediate job placement at completion. Connect Ohio has agreements in place that will not only produce up to 150 new jobs per month, but also rely upon a mentorship ecosystem to nurture continued training and technology career growth through an apprenticeship format. The members of the Connect Appalachia Broadband Initiative (CABI), led by John Glazer of TechGROWTH Ohio and David Nadler of Ohio Valley Bank, have formulated an innovative business plan creating a private/public investment vehicle to fuel broadband expansion. The vehicle will provide qualified broadband providers attractive capital funding required to expand into high-cost unserved areas of Ohio while minimizing risk and generating investment returns. CABI s proposed franchise model has met with overall acceptance when presented at national forums, local community banks, commercial stakeholders, and select legislators. CABI intends to present this plan to JobsOHIO and Third Frontier for consideration in the first quarter of Connect Ohio is honored to be Ohio s clearinghouse for all things broadband related. We look forward to continuing to serve the citizens of this great state and continue to strive for every Ohioan to have the resources they deserve to access affordable and reliable broadband Internet service. Respectfully Submitted, Stu Johnson Executive Director, Connect Ohio 2013 Connect Ohio

4 Key broadband statistics for the State of Ohio 71% of Ohio households subscribe to broadband, ranking Ohio above the national average of 66% adults who have high-speed Internet service in their home. This means more than 2.6 million Ohioans do not have home broadband service. Ohio s household broadband adoption rate has increased 16% since 2008 (55% in 2008, 62% in 2009, 66% in 2010 and 2011). 82% of Ohio residents own a home computer. 45% of Ohio adults are mobile wireless users. Typical Ohio Resident Online Activities Communicating ( or other messaging formats) 87% Purchasing goods or services 75% Hobbies or personal interests 74% Onling banking or bill pay 65% Reading online news sources 61% Medical information and communications 50% Searching or applying for Jobs 42% Online classes or digital learning 40% Ohioans age 65 or older are less likely to subscribe to home broadband service. Main Barriers to Broadband Relevance 35% Broadband adoption among rural Appalachian Ohio residents is significantly lower than the state average and has stagnated since 2011: the 2012 broadband adoption rate is 53%, while the 2011 rate was 55%. Availability 6% The top adoption barrier cited among rural nonsubscribers is relevance. Of the nearly half of rural residents living without home broadband service, 38% do not see a need for it. Cost Digital Literacy 14% 26% Less than half of low income households in Ohio (46%) have a home broadband subscription, while 31% are mobile users. In Ohio, 17% (nearly one fifth) of employed or self-employed adults report that they telework (they work from home using an Internet connection, instead of commuting to their usual workplace). Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment:

5

6 Connect Appalachia Broadband Initiative The Ohio Governor s Office of Appalachia, in conjunction with Connect Ohio and Chesapeake Energy, established the Connect Appalachia Broadband Initiative (CABI) Task Force to address the broadband gap in rural Appalachia. The Task Force is administered by Connect Ohio and comprised of public, private, and nonprofit leaders, as listed on the next page. The CABI Task Force intends to pull Appalachian Ohio to within state and national standards in broadband adoption by Connect Ohio s research reveals: Only 55% of Appalachian Ohio residents have broadband service in the home, significantly less than the state average of 71% 1 in 3 Appalachian Ohio children do not have broadband service at home 531,000 adults in rural Appalachia do not have home broadband 33% of rural Appalachian Ohio households do not have a home computer. 40% of businesses in Appalachian Ohio do not use broadband. Appalachian Ohio residents are nearly 2X as dependent on dial-up Internet or accessing the Internet from places other than home compared to the rest of the state. The Task Force identifies and coordinates resources required to facilitate availability of affordable broadband access and drives adoption through equipment procurement assistance and free basic computer training, such as Connect Ohio s Every Citizen Online program. In its first year, the Task Force has multiple pending network build out projects which include providing broadband service to over 25,000 un-served households in Belmont, Carroll, Guernsey, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, Vinton, and Washington Counties. Two of these projects Carroll and Washington counties were awarded $100,000 from the State Appalachia Development Program in 2012 as a direct result of this initiative. The project in Washington County has deployed and a community ribbon-cutting event occurred in November 2012 to celebrate the first towers and first customers. The Carroll County project has finalized planning and will deploy equipment in early The CABI Task Force has recently announced the creation of the CABI Fund a key funding vehicle providing individuals, corporations, and foundations a convenient platform to participate in the cause to connect Appalachian Ohio households through monetary donations. The CABI Fund is administered by the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and established with initial funding from Chesapeake Energy. The CABI Fund will provide a computer, technology training, and discounted Internet service to low-income families in Appalachian Ohio through partnerships with Internet service providers and Connect Ohio s Every Citizen Online basic computer and Internet training program specialized for first-time computer users. For more information on the CABI Fund, visit Detailed CABI Task Force information can be viewed at Connect Ohio

7 CABI Task Force Members Task Force Co-Chairpersons Jason Wilson, Director, Governor's Office on Appalachia Keith Fuller, Director of Corporate Development, Chesapeake Energy Stu Johnson, Executive Director, Connect Ohio Project Management Bart Winegar, Technical Outreach Manager, Connect Ohio Benj Foor, Technical Outreach Coordinator, Connect Ohio Committees and Committee Chairs Commerce: Chair: Paul D. Prater, Community Affairs Manager, AEP Ohio & WV Community Leaders: Chair: Tom Wheaton, Carroll County Commissioner Gregory R. Carver, Columbiana County Knox Township Trustee Chairman Greg DiDonato, Executive Director, Ohio Mid-Eastern Government Association Education: Chair - Joy Padgett, Former State Senator Angela Underwood, Executive Director, Ohio Mid-Eastern Regional Education Service Agency Cindy Bond, Community Development Educator, The Ohio State University Extension Department, Guernsey County Finance: Chair: David Nadler, SVP / Chief Risk Officer, Ohio Valley Bank John Glazer, Director, TechGROWTH Ohio Lance Schneier, Adjunct Faculty Member, The Ohio State University Fisher School of Business Government Affairs: Co-Chair: Katrina Flory, Executive Administrator, Ohio Office of Information Technology Co-Chair: Marianne Townsend, Chief, Telecommunications, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Teri Finfrock, Video Service Authorization & Deputy Chief Legal Counsel, Ohio Department of Commerce Jeanne Wilson, Sr. Appalachian Regional Representative, Office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Non-Profit: Chair: Cara Dingus Brook, President/CEO, Foundation for Appalachian Ohio Robin Kinny, Energy Committee Chair for Rural Action, Internet Committee member of Central Appalachia Regional Network Ronald Rees, Executive Director, Corporation for Ohio Appalachia Development (COAD) Providers: Chair: Ken Engstrom, Fiber Sales Manager, Horizon Telecom Dave Davidson, SVP/GM of Ohio, Frontier Communications - Local Exchange Carrier Ed Kozelek, Regional VP of Government Affairs, Time Warner Cable - CABLE Internet Service Provider David Weddell, CEO, CUE Band - Wireless Internet Service Provider Denis Walsh, Director of Partner Relations, OARNet Technology: Chair: Linda Kenworthy, Business Development Manager, Intel Americas Mark Muzzana, President, STG Communication Services, Inc Connect Ohio

8 Last Mile Technical Outreach Connect Ohio is working with numerous broadband providers to close the availability gaps through the Last Mile Enablement Project. This project entails Connect Ohio staff collaborating with county officials, private enterprise, and local leaders to develop propagation studies and business case analyses to enable implementation of broadband expansion plans. Current localized projects (each project is currently at various levels of engagement) include 12 counties: Belmont, Carroll, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Vinton, and Washington counties. The work of the technical assistance team is a driver in the efforts of the CABI Task Force. As you can see from the map below, the team s current projects are all located in the state s Appalachian area, where a lack of broadband access continues to be a key contributor to the existing digital divide Connect Ohio

9 Every Citizen Online To bridge the literacy and computer ownership gaps in Ohio, the Every Citizen Online (ECO) effort involves free computer and Internet training to any interested Ohio adult, as well as computer distributions to libraries and community organizations. Key partnerships with high profile organizations such as Goodwill Industries, YMCA and YWCA locations, Habitat for Humanity, and county Job and Family Service locations have hurdled Connect Ohio s ECO program awareness statewide. ECO project funding ceases in September 2013; therefore, the number of partner sub-recipients is beginning to decrease as contracts are ending. Despite the nearing funding loss, the program continues to increase in participant numbers. Currently, 246 facilities offer the program in 69 counties and more than 32,000 Ohio adults have taken advantage of the training. More than 1,500 new computers have been distributed to ECO partner organizations to equip computer labs and public access locations. At the height of the program in early 2012, ECO was offered at more than 300 locations in 75 of Ohio s 88 counties. Even more exciting than the program s robust presence throughout the state is the feedback received from ECO participants. Seventy-one percent of ECO participants surveyed say they intend to subscribe to broadband service within a year of completing the program. The basics [training] helped me understand things and gave me what I needed, said Jim Collins, ECO participant. I d never sent an in my life! I get them, but I did not send them myself. Collins is 63-years-old and owns his own body shop. He was tired of feeling lost when needing to find car value information online to appraise and estimate car repairs and grew tired of relying on other staff members for to conduct his web searches. The company has had a website for a few years, but it isn t updated often and Collins says it isn t used to its full for marketing potential. He s looking forward to developing a stronger Every web presence for his small Citizen business.online Marathon Special Products, Bowling Green Lake County Council on Aging TechWise LLC Medina County District Library mobile lab Columbus Center for Human Services Columbus Metropolitan Library 2012 Connect Ohio Connect Ohio

10 2013 Projects Connected Factories Connect Ohio is excited to announce a pilot program that couples our mission of digital literacy and broadband expansion with current labor sourcing trends to drive local employment for Ohioans. This new program is called Connected Factories and extends the Every Citizen Online digital literacy program to job readiness training. Program participants go through an involved screening and training program and upon completion of the 4-6 week program; participants will have an entry-level telework job open and available for them. But this program is not simply a job placement or hand-off of the employee to the employer. The Connected Factories model relies upon a mentorship component that begins with support through the entry-level telework training, but maintains this relationship with workers to nurture their growth through continued training/education in an apprenticeship style program while they work. The result is higher local employment rates with empowered workers committed to improving their lives through education and training. This real impact then establishes a strong record of success, which virally extends to other communities facing employment challenges. The Connected Factories model contains 3 primary elements: 1) Community Partnership and Training Facility 2) The Program recruitment, screening, training, mentoring and development 3) Employer Marketing and Sales In the multitudes of communities with high areas of unemployment, the Connected Factories program presents a unifying cause around which Connect Ohio can assemble financial support and local resource commitments. Connect Ohio has been actively partnering to secure positions available for a pilot in 3 communities from the moment workers are trained and ready. FCC Lifeline Project Connect Ohio has partnered with Frontier Communications to take part in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Lifeline Broadband Pilot Program. The pilot program will encourage broadband adoption by extending Lifeline discounts to broadband services for certain customers and promote digital literacy. Frontier will utilize Connect Ohio s Every Citizen Online program to provide digital training to willing participants with the goal of demonstrating the value of broadband use, then provide graduates of the training program with discounted broadband service and/or a free or discounted computer in select areas of the state. The program will begin in May Connect Ohio

11 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment Results 2012 Connect Ohio.

12 Ohio Technology Adoption Summary Percent of all Ohio residents Subscribe to dial-up from home 3% Subscribe to broadband from home 71% Don't know if home Internet service is dial-up or broadband 3% Do not use the Internet 15% Use the Internet someplace other than home 8% Q: Do you have an Internet connection at home?, Q: Do you have access to the Internet from any locations outside of your own home? and Q: Which of the following describe the type of Internet service you have at home? (n=1,200 OH residents) 2012 Connect Ohio. Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2

13 Ohio Technology Adoption Trends % 82% 66% 71% 34% 45% Computer Ownership Broadband Adoption Mobile Usage Q: Does your household have a computer? Q: Which of the following describe the type of Internet service you have at home? Q: When you are at your home, which of the following devices do you use to access the Internet? and Q: At what locations outside of your home do you use the internet? and Q: On your laptop computer, do you subscribe to mobile wireless service that allows you to access the Internet through a cellular network? and Q: How often, if ever, do you go online using your cell phone? (n=1,200 OH residents in 2012 and n=1,201 OH residents in 2011) 2012 Connect Ohio. Source: Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 3

14 Technology Adoption by Demographic Computer Ownership Broadband Adoption Mobile Usage 82% 71% 45% 69% 50% 28% 59% 41% 68% 63% 54% 46% 31% 32% 74% 62% 56% 77% 78% 67% 63% 37% 36% 14% Statewide Adults with disabilities Age 65 or older Low-income households* No college education Black or African American Hispanic Rural residents *Low-income=annual household income less than $25,000 Q: Does your household have a computer? Q: Which of the following describe the type of Internet service you have at home? Q: When you are at your home, which of the following devices do you use to access the Internet? and Q: At what locations outside of your home do you use the internet? and Q: On your laptop computer, do you subscribe to mobile wireless service that allows you to access the Internet through a cellular network? and Q: How often, if ever, do you go online using your cell phone? (n=1,200 OH residents; for the Hispanic sample, n=43 OH residents who identify themselves as of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin, including 30 respondents who were contacted as part of an oversample survey of Hispanic residents in Ohio) 2012 Connect Ohio. Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 4

15 Average Monthly Price Paid for Broadband and Mobile Services by Ohio Residents Average price paid for service Ohio broadband subscribers pay an average of $44.45 per month for their home broadband service, nearly $13 less per month than Ohio mobile Internet subscribers pay for service. Q: What do you pay each month for your Internet service? Q: What do you pay each month for the mobile Internet service for your cell phone? (n=807 OH residents with broadband service at home and 457 OH residents who subscribe to a data plan that allows Internet access on a cell phone) $44.45 Broadband subscribers $57.40 Mobile Internet subscribers Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2012 Connect Ohio. 5

16 Ohio Residents With Home Broadband Service Percent of all Ohio residents who subscribe to home broadband service 71% Statewide, 71% of all Ohio residents subscribe to home broadband service. This translates to approximately 2.6 million adults without broadband service at home. Q: Which of the following describe the type of Internet service you have at home? (n=1,200 OH residents) Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2012 Connect Ohio. 6

17 State and National Trends in Residential Broadband Adoption Statewide, home broadband adoption among Ohio residents increased 16 percentage points from 2008 to 2012, compared to a national increase of 11 percentage points. 55% 55% Percent of all residents with broadband service at home Ohio 63% 62% National Average 66% 66% 66% 62% 71% 66% Q: Which of the following describe the type of Internet service you have at home? (n=1,200 OH residents in 2008; 1,200 OH residents in 2009; 1,200 OH residents in 2010; 1,201 OH residents in 2011; and 1,200 OH residents in 2012) Source: Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessments National Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, Trend Data (Adults), Home Broadband Adoption, Released April 2012, Home-Broadband-Adoption.aspx 2012 Connect Ohio. 7

18 Types of Broadband Service That Ohio Residents Use Among Ohio residents with a broadband connection at home* Cable modem 56% DSL 27% Fiber to the home 8% Fixed wireless broadband Satellite broadband Wireless/WiFi Broadband over power lines Don't know 4% 4% 4% 3% 5% *Percentages do not add up to 100% because respondents could give multiple responses. Q: Which of the following describes the broadband service you have at home? (n=807 OH residents with broadband service at home) Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2012 Connect Ohio. 8

19 Main Reason Why Ohio Residents Subscribe to Broadband Among Ohio residents with a broadband connection at home I needed to conduct business online Someone in my home needed broadband for school I realized broadband was worth the extra money I learned that broadband became available in my area I bought or received a computer for my home I wanted broadband to access social network sites like Facebook The price of broadband service decreased A friend or family member convinced me to subscribe I wanted broadband to watch videos or download music I heard about the benefits of broadband in the news or through my community I learned about an application that required broadband I took a class on how to use broadband Other Don't know/refused <1% <1% 2% 3% 5% 6% 7% 7% 9% 11% 11% 11% 14% 14% Q: Which one of these was the main reason why you decided to subscribe to home broadband service? (n=807 OH residents with broadband service at home) Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2012 Connect Ohio. 9

20 Online Activities Percent of Ohio Internet users who conduct following activities online Communicating through or other ways of sending messages 87% Researching or purchasing goods or services Exploring or participating in hobbies or personal interests 75% 74% Online banking or paying bills Reading online newspapers or other news sources 65% 61% Searching for medical information, or communicating with healthcare professionals like doctors or insurance offices Searching or applying for jobs Taking online classes or conducting research for schoolwork 42% 40% 50% Interacting with government offices or elected officials 26% Q: Which of the following activities do you conduct using the Internet? (n=931 OH Internet users) Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2012 Connect Ohio. 10

21 Main Barriers to Broadband Adoption Among residents who do not subscribe to home broadband service Relevance 35% Cost 26% Digital Literacy 14% Availability Other 6% 7% Don't know/refused 12% Q: Which one of these is the main reason why you do not subscribe to home Internet service? Q: Would you sign up for broadband service if it were available in your area? Q: Which one of these is the main reason why you do not subscribe to home broadband service? (n=393 OH residents without broadband service at home) 2012 Connect Ohio. Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 11

22 Mobile Usage Trends by Demographic % 34% 45% 28% 31% 32% 26% 25% 43% 40% 37% 36% 27% 19% 14% 8% Statewide Adults with disabilities Age 65 or older Low-income households* No college education Black or African American Hispanic Rural residents *Low-income=annual household income less than $25,000 Q: When you are at your home, which of the following devices do you use to access the Internet? and Q: At what locations outside of your home do you use the internet? and Q: On your laptop computer, do you subscribe to mobile wireless service that allows you to access the Internet through a cellular network? and Q: How often, if ever, do you go online using your cell phone? (n=1,200 OH residents and n=1,201 Ohio residents in 2011; for the Hispanic sample in 2012, n=43 OH residents who identify themselves as of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin, including 30 respondents who were contacted as part of an oversample survey of Hispanic residents in Ohio) Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2012 Connect Ohio. 12

23 Why Ohio Residents Subscribe to Mobile Broadband Among Ohio residents who subscribe to a data plan that allows Internet access on their cell phone I wanted a way to access the Internet while away from home Mobile internet service was automatically included with my cell phone contract I purchased or received a cell phone that could access the Internet I needed mobile Internet service for my work I wanted to use my cell phone to access the Internet at home A friend or family member convinced me Mobile Internet service now costs less than it used to Mobile Internet service is less expensive than home broadband service I learned about an application I could use on my cell phone I learned that faster mobile Internet service became available in my area Other Don't know/refused Q: Which one of these was the main reason why you decided to subscribe to Internet service on your cell phone? (n=457 OH residents who subscribe to a data plan that allows Internet access on cell phone) Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2012 Connect Ohio. 13 1% <1% 2% 2% 4% 5% 5% 10% 12% 16% 19% 24%

24 Technology Adoption Rural Appalachian Ohio Ohio Rural Appalachian Ohio 82% 71% 71% Only 53% of residents in Rural Appalachian Ohio subscribe to broadband service, significantly lower than the state average 53% 45% 34% Computer Ownership Broadband Adoption Mobile Usage Q: Does your household have a computer? Q: Which of the following describe the type of Internet service you have at home? Q: When you are at your home, which of the following devices do you use to access the Internet? and Q: At what locations outside of your home do you use the internet? and Q: On your laptop computer, do you subscribe to mobile wireless service that allows you to access the Internet through a cellular network? and Q: How often, if ever, do you go online using your cell phone? (n=1200 OH residents and n=407 residents in Rural Appalachian OH) 2012 Connect Ohio. Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 14

25 Why Rural Appalachian Ohio Residents Subscribe to Broadband Among residents with a broadband connection at home Someone in my home needed broadband for school I learned that broadband became available in my area I wanted broadband to access social network sites like Facebook I needed to conduct business online I realized broadband was worth the extra money You wanted broadband to watch videos or download music A friend or family member convinced me to subscribe The price of broadband service decreased I bought or received a computer for my home I heard about the benefits of broadband in the news or through my I learned about an application that required broadband I took a class on how to use broadband Other Don't know/refused 2% <1% <1% 1% 6% 6% 5% 4% 9% 9% 11% 12% 13% 22% Q: Which of the following contributed to your decision to subscribe to broadband service? (n=230 Rural Appalachian OH residents with broadband service at home) Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 2012 Connect Ohio. 15

26 Main Barriers to Broadband Adoption in Rural Appalachian Ohio Among residents who do not subscribe to home broadband service Relevance 38% Cost Availability Digital Literacy 13% 12% 17% Other Don't know/refused 10% 10% Q: Which one of these is the main reason why you do not subscribe to home Internet service? Q: Would you sign up for broadband service if it were available in your area? Q: Which one of these is the main reason why you do not subscribe to home broadband service? (n=177 Rural Appalachian OH residents without broadband service at home) 2012 Connect Ohio. Source: 2012 Connect Ohio Residential Technology Assessment 16

27 Research Methodology 2012 Connect Ohio. 17

28 Methodology Data were collected by telephone through live computer-assisted interviews from a statewide random digit dial (RDD) sample of 1,200 households contacted between September 22 and October 13, On average, each survey took approximately 11 minutes to complete. Data were collected by Thoroughbred Research Group in Louisville, KY. This research was designed to measure technology adoption trends and the awareness of available broadband service, and to determine factors that contribute to individuals choosing whether or not to subscribe to broadband service. The questionnaire screened to include only residents age 18 or older with quotas set by gender, age, and county of residence (to ensure that a sufficiently large sample of adult heads of households in rural Appalachian counties was achieved, these households were oversampled). Weights were applied to correct for minor variations and ensure that the sample matches the most recent U.S. Census estimates of the state s population by age, gender, and the respondent s county of residence (whether or not the respondent lives in a rural Appalachian county). Weighting and research consultation were provided by Lucidity Research LLC. Sampling margin of error: Based on the effective sample size, the effective post-weighting margin of error = +3.41% at a 95% level of confidence for the statewide sample In addition, Connect Ohio oversampled adult heads of households who identified themselves as of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin to ensure a large enough sample size of this demographic group for reporting purposes (n=43) Connect Ohio. 18

29 Urban-Rural Classifications Defined The U.S. Census Bureau uses an urban-rural classification based on Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), which are designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget to collect, tabulate and publish federal statistics. Metropolitan statistical areas contain a core urban area with a population of 50,000 or more. Each MSA also includes one or more counties that have a high degree of social and economic interaction with the urban core (further information on definitions for MSAs can be found at: When classifying urban, suburban and rural counties, we follow the Census Bureau definition whereby counties are categorized as urban if they contain the core city of an MSA. Suburban counties are MSA counties that do not contain a core city, and rural counties include all remaining counties that are not part of an MSA. Rural Appalachian Classification: Connect Ohio defines Rural Appalachian respondents as adults heads of households who live in Ohio counties that are under the jurisdiction of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) but are not part of the Cincinnati, Cleveland, or Youngstown MSA s. This includes the following counties: Adams, Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington Connect Ohio. 19