Connecticut and the Future of Broadband: What to think about Net Neutrality, Bridging the Digital Divide and Are we ready for the “Exaflood"?

We need to make sure Connecticut is prepared to build the IT infrastructure needed for growth.  In the 1860s, Connecticut led the nation in railroad development, in the 1930s we helped create the first parkway system and in 1950s we led again with the Connecticut Turnpike…are we positioned to lead with the information superhighways? And are we building enough lanes (bandwidth)?

 

The Exaflood is the term, coined by Bret Swanson, to describe the exponential growth of the coming “flood” of demand for bandwidth – a need for new infrastructure unprecedented by any technology adoption in history. Based on wireless and wired demand for video, connection speed and new applications, the ability to supply bandwidth and at what cost may become the economic development incentive or barrier that divides the winners and losers of the next growth cycle.

 

The Connecticut Technology Council and its many partners hosted the broadband symposium on 11/13/2009 to help the region understand the Exaflood and develop strategies to be sure we continue our history of infrastructure leadership to secure investment, economic growth and wealth creation. At the event, we discussed questions about the demand side, social implications of and technical and financial needs of a Bandwidth Intensive future on the Internet and Connecticut.  Our sincere hope is to continue the conversation  - interested?  Join our LinkedIn group:  Connecticut Broadband.

 

Thanks to all participants, including nationally recognized broadband expert and recent Wall Street Journal Op-Ed writer, Bret Swanson and panelists, Jeff Blodgett, CCR, Vice President of Research, CERC , Curtis Hill, Director, Concepts for Adaptive Learning and Rich Mavrogeanes, President/CEO at Discover Video Inc.   And thanks to all attendees who brought their questions and concerns, and we hope, left charged to make sure Connecticut is prepared for the Exaflood:  

Chalkstone Strategies, LLC, CERC, IBM, Advanced Decisions Inc., Connecticut Technology Council, Discover Video, Inc., Paetec, Center for Global Innovation, Digysol, Town of Manchester, Advanced Corporate Networking, Wiggin and Dana, AT&T, University of Hartford, NSI, Studio B/Visual Communication, Branison Group, Cronus Partners LLC, Westbury Group LLC, thatsocialnetworkingthing