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The South Carolina Broadband Technology & Communications Study Committee

Explore the critical recommendations for improving broadband access in South Carolina to enhance education, economic development, and competitiveness. Discover the key challenges with U.S. broadband infrastructure and the necessary steps to address them effectively.

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The South Carolina Broadband Technology & Communications Study Committee

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  1. The South Carolina Broadband Technology & Communications Study Committee Presentation By Jabari Simama, Ph.D. Vice President, Benedict College & Director, Broadband in Cities & Towns November 20, 2007

  2. BACKGROUND • A Few words about me • 2nd Annual Broadband Conference • 45 Presentations • Demographics of Participants • Students 22 • Educators 31 • Sponsors 17 • Presenters 45 • Nonprofit 10 • Government 10 • Private Sector 22 • HBCUs 3 Total 160

  3. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS • What is Broadband About? • So people can have a high speed connection to Internet? • Download video games & movies? Senator Matthews: “Everyone [must] have access. The state will benefit if we invest in knowledge and skills. . . . Access is an investment in knowledge & skills that people need in order to be competitive.”

  4. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS • Thus, Broadband is about making SC competitive in terms of education, workforce development, and economic development. • The competition is not Georgia & NC, but: • Hong Kong 73% • South Korea 67% • Canada: 46% • US 33%/46% access in home PEW • SC 22%

  5. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS • Mariam Hair: “1) What is the vision for state, 2) affordability of service, 3) identify applications/speeds that are needed for the state to meet citizens needs”

  6. PROBLEMS WITH U.S. BROADBAND • Wrong philosophy/vision • Public/Private highway carrying our state’s education, workforce training, and economic development goods • Speeds too slow • FCC Definition of 200kbits, one way • We need to look at applications to determine needed speed • 5mbits, two way • Cost too much • Too many low income families can’t afford $50 plus per month

  7. WHAT MUST BE DONE? Find private sector partner who is willing to deliver a network that will meet the State’s needs of dramatically improving education, enhancing workforce development, and driving competitiveness, telehealth Aggregated neutral host network that operates on a common platform

  8. WHAT MUST BE DONE? Develop technological literacy for all Educational licenses held by ETV, Trident, etc. should be leveraged for maximum return for the education of the children of SC Foster competitiveness in the approach to deploying broadband The plan that fosters competition will be the best

  9. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? • Don’t be intrusive and unnecessarily burdensome • Don’t abdicate the governmental role; be proactive • Change the paradigm: • Think of the co-existence of Public television & Commercial television

  10. CONCLUSION SC can leapfrog ahead of other states not just by focusing on supply, but by creating demand. But what the state must be sure of is that once literacy and demand is established that we can fulfill the demand with something worth having. And if all we’re doing is trying to sell consumers more entertainment & games, it is not worth doing.

  11. FINAL THOUGHT But if we are serious about being competitive, not only with our neighbors next door but with the world . . . then we need to start considering the highest public uses for broadband and find out just what we need to accommodate such uses.

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