In 2000, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to perform the first comprehensive study to determine information technology readiness amongst Maryland's businesses and households. (Click here for EDA application; PDF file)

The project sought to accomplish the following:

• Identify Infrastructure – lay the groundwork for continued private/public investment in information technology infrastructure and utilization by identifying current/future obligations.
• Regional Performance – determine each region’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of capacity, access and use of the information infrastructure.
• Build Action Agendas for Progress – develop state and regional action agendas to boost capacity in the digital economy and economic viability of the identified regions.
• Evaluate Progress – measure progress on achieving goals.

TEDCO partnered with the Technology Policy Group - TPG of the Ohio Supercomputer Center to complete Maryland’s infrastructure analysis. TPG made it possible for Ohio to become the first state in the U.S. to complete this in-depth assessment. Maryland was the second.

TEDCO also worked with a number of public and private sectors partners. (Click here for a list)

Outcomes were achieved by assessing and mapping network infrastructure/access, real-time testing of current dial-up network performance and analysis of more than 1,100 business and 1,400 household surveys on IT usage statewide.

A final report was submitted to the State’s General Assembly on February 1, 2003. The ultimate goal of the project was to find solutions that will enable all citizens of the State to have robust access to digital opportunities by providing quality data to decision-makers using research tools benchmarked by the nationally recognized Computer Systems Policy Project (www.cspp.org) and by creating linkages between public officials and private citizens to build a “network of prosperity.” (Click here for the executive summary, PDF file)

Culminating from this project, the Rural Broadband Task Force was created and a number of regional initiatives have come to fruition.