The LinkWYOMING Initiative

Welcome to the LinkWYOMING website. Here you’ll find important news and resources related to our mapping and planning efforts.

Feel free to visit our site often for the latest in broadband-related news and resources.

Funding for LinkWYOMING

Latest News

• Broadband is an essential component of 21st century healthcare. Through telehealth, healthcare providers are able to provide more effective care to a greater number of people at a lower cost to consumers, healthcare providers and insurance companies.

  On May 28, 2013, LinkWYOMING will sponsor a webinar entitled "Funding Sustainable Telehealth Networks in Wyoming." Please join us for this discussion on the current state of telehealth in Wyoming, how telehealth is improving healthcare services in the state and the opportunities for expanding the state's telehealth networks.

  The deadline for registration is Thursday, May 23, 2013.

• The LinkWYOMING team needs your help!

  The State of Wyoming’s broadband team, LinkWYOMING, has launched a community app to collect and analyze mobile broadband performance.

  Because emergency services, police, fire and other local services depend on mobile wireless networks, analysis is critical to understanding problem areas for each network. As a result, we hope to keep our government and communities connected, at a lower cost, and expand the reach of broadband across the community.

  LinkWYOMING hopes you will join the effort by simply downloading the free, network testing app on your phone to ensure your neighborhood is tested. The more we can learn about problematic network areas, the better we are able to address them. All information collected by the testing app is anonymous. LinkWYOMING is partnering with Mobile Pulse to power the app and ensure the privacy of all users.

  Read more about the LinkWYOMING mobile app, how it helps state planners and how it can help you.

• As a part of the LinkWYOMING monitoring and evaluation work, the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center (WYSAC) has released an initial report on the state of broadband in Wyoming.

  The LinkWYOMING Broadband Data Gap and Plan discusses the challenges in defining broadband and presents WYSAC’s methods for collecting data.

  The report also provides key findings; identifies data gaps related to broadband availability, adoption and application; discusses the data gaps; and suggests next steps for filling them.

The LinkWYOMING regional planning teams have determined top broadband priorities and developed regional broadband investment plans.

Region 1 (Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan and Weston Counties)

Region 2 (Converse, Natrona and Niobrara Counties)

Region 3 (Carbon and Sweetwater Counties)

Region 4 (Lincoln, Sublette and Uinta Counties)

Region 5 (Fremont and Teton Counties)

Region 6 (Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie Counties)

Region 7 (Albany, Goshen, Laramie and Platte Counties)

Funding for LinkWYOMING

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 made funding possible for broadband projects, including mapping and planning, infrastructure, public computer centers and sustainable adoption programs. States' broadband mapping and planning projects are made possible through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) State Broadband Initiative (SBI) grant program, formerly known as State Broadband Data and Development (SBDD).

In Nov. 2009, Wyoming received an approximately $1.8 million grant to fund the State's SBDD project years 1-2. An additional $2.36 million grant was awarded in Sept. 2010 to fund project years 3-5.

This project serves as a catalyst for increased access to and use of broadband to better serve our citizens. With ubiquitous broadband, we can realize improved economic development, access to education and health care, enhanced public safety, improved government efficiencies, increased tourism, greater access to telework opportunities and more.

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Why LinkWYOMING?

Through initial research, we understand there are many reasons Wyoming residents do not use broadband. Perhaps the most commonly cited barrier is access: broadband must be available in order to adopt it. Where broadband is available, barriers to adopting it include high subscription costs, lack of broadband-ready devices, low awareness of broadband uses and concerns about privacy and security on the Internet. Through community collaboration and regional planning, this project will address these issues and many more.

In order to address expansion of this technology, we must first have a clear picture of where broadband currently exists in the state, and thus where our gaps in coverage are. Following a thorough assessment and inventory of key Wyoming assets, we have developed an online, interactive mapping tool revealing our broadband footprint. The state mapping tool displays a detailed footprint of broadband coverage by technology type and speed in both rural and urban areas throughout the state and provides consumers with links to individual broadband providers in their area. Data collected for the LinkWYOMING maps is provided to NTIA for inclusion in the National Broadband Map.

While consumers may use this content to identify and order broadband services, it is equally important for policymakers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Policymakers can identify and address barriers to expansion. ISPs can identify gaps in coverage and an estimated cost to fill them.

Prior to developing this mapping tool, we were unable to accurately articulate the levels of current and future demand for broadband services for Wyoming businesses, households and community anchor institutions. By collecting and analyzing market data, we are able to profile county-specific broadband service demands and complete a geographic analysis of that demand relative to available infrastructure.

Another challenge LinkWYOMING addressed was the absence of coordinated regional leadership to plan and implement local sustainable adoption. Beginning late 2010, we facilitated regional teams to develop effective, local strategies and regional broadband plans.

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Our Role in Addressing Broadband Challenges and Solutions

LinkWYOMING is not intended to replace or compete with other broadband efforts in our state, but rather to identify and work with new and existing projects that share our goal. Through collaboration, we can finally realize greater access to and use of broadband technologies to improve business opportunities and the quality of life for all residents of Wyoming.