Virginia Is Good for Good Business: A Broadband Strategy for Maximum Economic Return

Abstract

This Government Insights Perspective covers the strategic approaches deployed by the Virginia Broadband Roundtable to attract broadband suppliers and create paths for their success. In 2007, Commonwealth of Virginia Governor Tim Kaine created the Virginia Broadband Roundtable and appointed Aneesh Chopra, then Virginia Secretary of Technology, and former Virginia Governor Mark Warner to co-lead the initiative. The blue-ribbon broadband committee was created to develop plans for facilitating the delivery of affordable "last mile" broadband services to connect unserved homes and businesses to broadband. Staffed with representatives from Virginia' s counties, educational institutions, various governmental positions, and a list of industry' s "who' s who" in telecom/broadband, the Roundtable has delivered its final report to Governor Kaine and recently announced the completion of Virginia' s first address-level based broadband availability map.