Getting Connected: Benefits of Broadband in your Home

1
Getting Connected Benefits of Broadband in your
Home

• George Boersma, DirectorOffice of Technology
  Partnerships
• Michigan Department of Information Technology

2
Getting Connected It could be the best thing
you ever do!

• Broadband is bringing people just like you
• More Convenience to their Everyday Life
• Valuable Information
• A Wealth of Entertainment
• Improved Employment Opportunities
• Better Educational Tools
• Numerous Cost Savings Opportunities

and so much more
3
Why Get Connected?Convenience!

• Get online and accomplish ordinary tasks
• in half the time....from the comfort of your
• home!
• Online Banking
• Pay bills online!
• 24x7 access to your account information
• Schedule your familys doctor appointments or
  package pick ups
• Order postage stamps, books, movie tickets and
  apparel
• Renew your vehicle registration, drivers license,
  and subscriptions
• Shop online anytime!

4
Information, information, andeven more
information!

• Research the symptoms and treatments of common
  medical conditions
• Compare the prices of goods and services
• Check the value and consumer reviews of a vehicle
  before you purchase it
• Look up driving directions
• Find out what resources are available in your
  community
• Search for employment

5
Information, information, andeven more
information!

• Find recipes for any and everything
• Get the latest on news, weather, and your
  favorite sports teamin real time!
• Need to know how to?....
• Fix a television
• Play poker
• Speak Spanish
• Sew
• And anything else you want to knowIts only a
  click away! Learn online!

6
Work from home

• Telecommuting allows for
• Reduced to no travel time and costs
• More and improved work opportunities
• You can work for a company anywhere from the
  comfort of your own home!
• More time with your family
• A better balance of work and family life
• Participation in the local community
• Flexible work hours

7
Broadband increases education and income levels

• Broadband permits participation in online degree
  programsenrollment in online courses have
  increased 40 percent since 2005
• Individuals with a bachelors degree make 23,000
  more than high school graduates per year.

A recent survey of remote and rural broadband
networks in British Columbia found 15 of
subscribers had higher incomes 39 had lower
household expenses
8
Help your children educate themselves and do it
safely

• Give your kids access to valuable and important
  information
• Allow them to do educational research or get help
  with their homework
• They can even entertain themselves with
  educational games or learn new things, such as,
  how to speak a foreign language.
• The internet can also provide your children with
  information you may not what them to be exposed
  toobut that an easy fix and the benefits are
  worth the effort.
• You can
• Use web filtering tools to block inappropriate
  website and/or content
• Establish online rules and agreements
• Place your computer in a area of the home that
  make it easy to supervise you child online
• Monitor the time spent online and ask them what
  they are doing online

9
Broadband allows you to have fun!

• Send emails and pictures to your long distance
  family and friends instantly!
• Download your favorite videos and music
• Print photos whenever!
• Watch the latest movies

10
Broadband can Save you money !

• Many companies offer special savings
• online only
• Online Coupons
• Web rebates
• A discount on service charges if you pay online
• There are web sites that offer
• Discounted airline and hotel rates
• Low-priced car rentals

11
Ready to Get Connected?

• 1. Determine which broadband option is right for
  you
• DSL Internet connection requiring a telephone
  line allows you to leave your internet
  connection open and still use the phone line for
  voice calls
• Cable Internet connection that receives access
  from local cable television line cable modem
  required
• Wireless - Internet connection using radio waves
  wireless router required. Allows for mobility.
• Satellite Internet connection that uses a
  satellite dish to provide access satellite modem
  required
• 2. Contact your local broadband providers to get
  connected

12
Contacts Questions

• MDIT Office of Technology Partnerships
• George Boersma, Directorboersmag_at_michigan.gov
  [phone]
• Paul Harmonharmonp_at_michigan.gov [phone]