Session Abstract

The relationship of Internet availability and performance to economic development is a critical research and policy question that has come into the public's awareness with the inclusion of broadband mapping and infrastructure investment programs in the ARRA legislation and the development of the National Broadband Map. This presentation, offered by Seth Peery of Virginia Tech and Doug Hurley, chair of the Economic Development SIG, considers the nature of the relationship between broadband and economic development from both a theoretical and policy perspective. A new tool, integrating Internet2's NDT with a Google Maps mashup is proposed for the collection of objective, geographically referenced data points provided by Internet users, and a novel spatial analysis technique is suggested to associate measured network performance with economic indicators. The presentation concludes with a discussion of the role of Internet2 and R&E network operators in local economic development, and steps that might be taken to advance the state of research and better inform the national policy debate on this topic.