In its comprehensive 2014 Digital States Survey, e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government evaluated the digital technology practices of all 50 states, assigning each state a grade based on quantifiable results in better serving citizens and streamlining operations.
Overall, since the last biennial survey in 2012, grades improved in 21 states, declined in 12 and stayed even in 17. Eight states earned top grades, with Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri and Virginia moving up to A designations.
Speaking at the Commonwealth of Virginia Innovative Technology Symposium on September 3, Governor McAuliffe reiterated his commitment to a modern and innovative government, saying: “Building a new Virginia economy means building a modern and innovative government that supports growth at the speed of business. Virginia’s A ranking in the 2014 Digital States Survey is an accomplishment for the men and women of state government, and I am eager to continue our work using new technologies to earn an A+ for how this Commonwealth serves its residents, localities and businesses.”
The survey evaluated states based on a set of criteria that included actions supporting state priorities and policies to improve operations or services, hard- and soft-dollar savings/benefits, progress since the last survey, innovative solutions, and effective collaboration. Those states receiving high marks demonstrated results across all criteria.
This is good news as local broadband infrastructure is a key factor for both consumers and business. A recent report by Broadband Now, compared Lynchburg to other municipalities in Virginia in addressing that infrastructure. The study found that the average speed was 15.9 MBPS and with 15 broadband providers in the area. Currently, Lynchburg is 42% slower than Virginia and 30% slower than the US average. Most importantly, the population of under-served customers in Lynchburg is estimated at around 11,000. This population only has access to 0 or 1 wired broadband providers leaving them without a competitive market and no option to switch if dissatisfied with their service. The results are based on data collected by the sources including the FCC and NTIA.
At this time, the goal is to continue to work with providers to increase the speed of current broadband providers as well as increase the number of providers available in the area.
To see the full list of state grades visit http://www.govtech.com/cdg/digital-states/Digital-States-Survey-2014-Results.html.