Rural Ohio County Designated a ‘Connected Community’

As businesses, government and health care increasingly rely on broadband infrastructure and services to communicate, a community’s success and desirability includes its commitment to such technologies. Ohio is embracing that commitment through a new connectivity initiative.

Van Wert County, a rural area in northwest Ohio with a population of less than 30,000, was recently designated as Ohio’s first “connected community.” The county participated in a Connected Community Engagement Program facilitated by Connect Ohio, a subsidiary of Connected Nation. The organizations partner with communities to maximize the benefits of universal broadband. Communities use an online portal to generate a technology action plan to establish eligibility. Van Wert County is one of nine counties in the United States to receive the designation. Kim Brandt, the 911 coordinator for the county, felt the designation gives the county an edge in attracting new companies.