Broadband Advantages
Broadband, once considered a luxury, has become more of a necessity for accessing a wide range of resources, services and products. The following short videos on examples of the important role broadband plays in Wisconsin were produced by the University of Wisconsin Extension.
Video Series | Broadband: The Wisconsin Experience
Broadband Literacy in the Menominee Nation
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Using a computer classroom on wheels, members of the Menominee Nation learn basic computer and internet skills. This broadband literacy project is part of a partnership between the BTOP-funded BCCB project of UW-Extension and the College of Menominee Nation.
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Community Area Network: Chippewa Valley
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Community institutions in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls pooled their resources to build a high-speed broadband network. The high-speed connections create opportunities to share applications and open up possibilities for new uses of technology.
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e-Commerce from Anywhere to Everywhere
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From its location in Rhinelander, Drs. Foster & Smith became one of the nation's largest online sellers of pet and animal care products.
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Business to Business (B2B): e-Commerce in Platteville
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Small businesses now depend on broadband for much of their day-to-day operations. See how this unseen but indispensable technology speeds transactions and improves the quality of service at a tire shop in Platteville.
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High Speed e-Government
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High speed broadband creates new opportunities for governments to improve public safety and consolidate services.
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Telestroke: High Speed Treatment
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High speed broadband can provide high-speed treatment of stroke victims during the critical hours after symptoms begin. Such use of telemedicine provides rural hospitals access to specialty care once available only in bigger cities.
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Economic Development and Broadband
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This is the story of how Three Lakes decided to become the technology hub of Wisconsin north woods to grow businesses—and made it happen.
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Broadband and Education
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Schools in Superior, a city in northern Wisconsin, use broadband to improve education and provide new opportunities to learners of all ages.
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Benefits of Broadband
The following summarizes a few of the many areas in which broadband can enhance our communities.
Education
Telehealth
Economic Development and e-Commerce
Electronic Government (e-Government)
Public Safety and Homeland Security
Broadband Communications Services
Communications Services for People With Disabilities
Education
- Broadband provides enhanced and immediate access to worldwide research.
- Distance or online learning, through which both students and teachers can benefit from high quality online learning solutions, is made possible through broadband.
- Electronic access to student achievement data, in which teachers can share important information about childrens’ progress with their parents in a secure manner, is afforded with broadband technologies.
- Teachers, parents, schools and government agencies can obtain accurate, relevant data, with strong student privacy provisions, in order to help them make informed decisions that will improve educational outcomes.
- Broadband technology can help teachers obtain the data they need to help students succeed.
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Telehealth
- Broadband can facilitate provision of medical care to unserved and underserved populations through remote diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and consultations with specialists.
- The demand for home healthcare services in the U.S. has increased dramatically in recent years and is expected to continue. An increasing number of these services are made possible through broadband technologies. Millions of Americans currently receive home care because of acute illness, long-term health conditions, permanent disability or terminal illness.
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Economic Development and e-Commerce
- Broadband can promote economic development and revitalization through electronic commerce (e-Commerce) by creating new jobs, attracting new industries and providing access to regional, national and worldwide markets.
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Electronic Government (e-Government)
- Electronic or e-Government can help streamline citizens interaction with government agencies, and provide information about government policies, procedures, benefits and programs.
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Public Safety and Homeland Security
- Broadband can help protect the public by facilitating and promoting public safety information and procedures, including early warning/public alert systems, disaster preparation programs, remote security monitoring and real time security background checks.
- Broadband can also provide system backup capabilities for public safety communications networks.
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Broadband Communications Services
- Broadband provides access to new telecommunications technologies such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allowing voice communication using the Internet. VoIP allows users to make and receive calls over the Internet. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) allows online television viewing of TV stations around the world.
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Communications Services for People With Disabilities
- Broadband permits users of Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) to use Video Relay Services (VRS) so persons with disabilities can communicate more easily, quickly and expressively with voice telephone users.
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Culture and Entertainment
- Broadband can overcome geographical and financial barriers to provide access to a wide range of cultural and recreational opportunities and resources. Videos and images of recreational opportunties are quick and easy to research via broadband technologies.
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