Senator Brown announces more than $2.4M to expand broadband ccess in North Central Ohio

Washington, D.C. – U.S Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that Ohio will receive more than $2.4 million in grants and loans to expand broadband access. The Consolidated Electric Cooperative (CEC) has been awarded $1,034,413 in grants and $1,399,499 in loans to invest in a broadband network connecting Ohio communities that currently have limited or no access to the technology. Brown fought for the federal funds, made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, to target rural communities and be distributed through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

According to a study by Connect Ohio, median revenue among broadband-connected businesses in Ohio grew twice as fast as those that do not use broadband. In addition, a 2006 study by MIT found that communities with wide access to broadband experienced faster job growth and new business development. A later report by the Brookings Institution found that for every one percent of increased broadband access, a state could expect 0.2-0.3 percent growth in employment...