Connect South Carolina Releases New Broadband Availability Figures

Research shows that broadband access gap in South Carolinashrinking; 96.75% of residents now have access at FCC speed tier goals

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COLUMBIA, SC – June 15, 2012 – New research unveiled by Connect SouthCarolina shows that the broadband availability gap in South Carolina isshrinking, with 96.75% of South Carolina residents now having access tobroadband, compared to 96.16% last year. In addition, 82.72% of SouthCarolina households can access broadband at speeds of at least 10 Mbpsdownload/1.5 Mbps upload.

Nonprofit Connect South Carolina has been working since 2009 toensure that South Carolina residents have access to the economic,educational, and quality of life benefits derived from increasedbroadband access, adoption, and use.Among the findings of the newbroadband availability research are:

• 83.04% of South Carolina households can access broadband atadvertised speeds of 6 Mbps download/1.5 Mbps upload, meaning that305,455 households are in areas that may be eligible for UniversalService Fund broadband deployment subsidies.
• 95.84% of rural households in South Carolina have access to broadband.
• 25.63% of South Carolina households have access to broadband speedsof at least 100 Mbps download/1.5 Mbps upload. In October 2011, only1.06% of households in South Carolina had access to these broadbandspeeds.
• Broadband is available to 96.75% of South Carolina households, upfrom 96.16% last October, leaving only 58,456 South Carolina householdsunable to connect to basic high-speed Internet.
• 74.79% of South Carolina households have the ability to choose broadband service from two or more non-mobile broadband providers

Note: The data in this report are subject to data validation.

“We are encouraged by the progress we are seeing in the effort tobridge South Carolina’s broadband access gaps,” said Corey Johns,Connect South Carolina stakeholder relations manager. “The effort mustcontinue, however, if we are to bring the empowering technology ofbroadband to the remaining 58,456 South Carolina households currentlywithout access to basic, non-mobile, high-speed Internet service.”

Last April, Connect South Carolina released an innovative new broadband mapping tool called My ConnectView offering unmatched views of South Carolina’s technology landscape.Residents and businesses are encouraged to use the interactive map tofind area providers and help validate the data.

Connect South Carolina’s research was conducted as part of the StateBroadband Initiative (SBI) grant program, funded by the NationalTelecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The data weregathered in accordance with the requirements of the Notice of FundsAvailability (NOFA) and subsequent clarifications set forth by the NTIA.The process begins by contacting all known providers in South Carolinaand providing information about the broadband mapping project.Information on broadband service areas is collected from each willingprovider through voluntary participation. A nondisclosure agreement(NDA) is offered to all providers prior to the submission of data; thedata protected through the NDA is limited to highly sensitive networkinfrastructure information, including middle-mile locations. ConnectedNation strives to maintain a flexible mapping process in order to beable to collect data from providers in a variety of formats based onproviders’ technical capabilities and resources.

About Connect South Carolina
As the State Broadband Initiative, Connect South Carolina isleading the effort to increase high-speed Internet access, adoption anduse to ensure South Carolina’s competitiveness in the connected globaleconomy of the twenty-first century. Connect South Carolina is apublic-private partnership designated by the state to work with allbroadband providers to create South Carolina’s first interactive map ofbroadband coverage. This work serves as a foundation for addressingremaining service gaps while also engaging state, regional and localleaders in workforce development activities designed to bridge SouthCarolina’s digital divide. For maps, research or to get involved withefforts in your community please visit: www.ConnectSC.org.