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Calendar of Events
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Regulatory Affairs
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Infrastructure
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Wireline & Mobile Broadband Available to 99% SC Households
South Carolina leads most other Southeastern states in the availability of high-speed Internet connections for households but the use of them by consumers is slightly behind the national average, the SC Public Service Commission was told Aug. 18, 2011. Jerry D. Pate, Executive Director of the SC Telecommunications Association, cited national data showing the Palmetto State has broadband connections at 3Mbps available to 99% of SC households during a special workshop held by the PSC on broadband technology Thursday, August 18th. "The data includes wireline, fixed wireless and mobile broadband connections for households and does not include large capacity connections already serving schools, government, business and industry," he noted.
Pate said the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, ranks South Carolina ahead of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi in available wireline and mobile broadband service for residential consumers. See -
www.broadbandmap.gov/rank/all/state/percentpopulation/within-nation/technology-all/ascending.
The information was presented during a PSC Workshop on broadband connectivity which included presentations by the SC Department of State Information Technology, Farmers Telephone Cooperative of Kingstree, CenturyLink, Comcast Cable TV and Connect South Carolina, the SC initiative to increase access and use of broadband technology.
While the state has abundant broad facilities available, it was pointed out the percentage of SC households actually connecting to the Internet is somewhat behind the national average. 67% of U. S. households access the Internet compared to 62% of SC households despite the number of Internet providers operating in the state, and flexible pricing plans designed to meet most consumer needs. Studies have shown there are correlations between education attained and Internet usage. The higher the education attained per household usually correlates with higher per household Internet usage.
Pate said wireline (DSL and fiber optic) connections alone are available to 95% of SC households and companies are continuing their buildout to fill in the scattered small pockets where wireline high-speed connectivity may not yet be available. He said the growth and expansion of mobile broadband connectivity may also fill in those remaining gaps. 6 Mbps connections are available to 92% of SC households and 10 Mbps connections are available to 84% of SC households according to data provided by Connect SC during Thursday's workshop. See - http://www.connectsc.org.
Pate noted that connections for education, government, business and industry are typically much larger and customized to the customer's needs. School connections are provided through a unique partnership with the state of South Carolina and the Palmetto State's telecommunications industry. The K-12 Technology Initiative provides large-capacity, high-speed connectivity to schools at discounted prices. The Division of State Information Technology administers the program which today makes high-speed connectivity available to almost every school in the Palmetto State. DSIT also arranges connectivity for state agencies, colleges and universities. SC was the first state to connect every library and among the first to connect every school to the Internet as a result of the K-12 program.
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