Vermont wants more accurate broadband availability information

The Vermont government believes that current maps don't provide an accurate picture of broadband availability and need to be updated.

Last week, Vermont's Gov. Peter Shumlin was joined by Karen Marshall, the head of the state's ConnectVT effort to expand broadband services throughout Vermont, asked residents and business owners to report any inaccurate broadband availability claims on their new BroadbandVT.org website.

Shumlin has set an ambitious goal of making broadband and wireless service available on a statewide basis by 2013. To reach that goal, Vermont has dedicated $400 million, which consists of broadband stimulus funding, to expand wireline broadband and wireless service even in hard to reach areas.

Users that access the BroadbandVT.org site can get information on areas without broadband service, current speeds and what public places like libraries have broadband connections.

Of course, the state's dominant telco FairPoint Communications (Nasdaq: FRP) refutes the argument that the data about where it currently provides DSL service is in accurate.

"The data that we supply is accurate, but the way that it's being used is confusing," said Sabina Haskell, spokeswoman for FairPoint. "I think the governor's correct that people need to be careful on how they use the data. It gives people an indication of what companies to contact to see if broadband's available."

For more:
- CED via AP has this article

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