State Broadband Capacity Building:

The Nebraska Broadband Capacity Building Program will survey businesses, local governments, economic developers, and households statewide to augment prior SBDD-funded activity to support the development of regional and statewide broadband plans, and to gather benchmark data to evaluate program success. The Nebraska Information Technology Commission’s community council along with its advisory groups will act as the state’s advisory group on broadband planning. NITC members represent libraries, economic and workforce development organizations, telecommunications providers, and the Nebraska Public Service Commission.

Technical Assistance:

The Nebraska Broadband Technical Assistance Program, led by the University of Nebraska, Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the Nebraska Information Technology Commission, and the AIM Institute of Omaha will provide technical assistance to local governments, chambers of commerce, economic developers, Indian tribes and resource providers in communities with lower than average broadband subscribership. The project will specifically offer direct training to local governments in areas such as cybersecurity and e-agriculture, and will also survey the target communities to determine the specific interventions needed in that community.

Local Regional Technology Planning Teams:

The initial SBDD funding supported the development of regional broadband plans. This supplement will allow the Nebraska Public Service Commission, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, to form additional teams in areas identified as underserved through the first round of broadband availability data collection and the recently completed statewide survey. The Commission will also hold additional focus groups with the business community, chambers of commerce/economic developers, local and county stakeholders in government and the agriculture community.

Data Collection, Integration, and Validation:

This project was originally funded for broadband planning activities and two years of data collection. In September of 2010, this project was amended to extend data collection activities for an additional three years and to identify and implement best practices.