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The study takes a quantitative approach to rank each state based upon their approach to improving the broadband climate through the development of the index, which includes data on adoption, network speeds, and economic structure, and includes case studies on six states to illustrate the varied approaches to building broadband infrastructure taken by individual states. States are actively pursuing ways to use broadband to promote economic development, build strong communities, improve delivery of government services, and transform education strategies. The ingredients for meeting those goals are fast and ubiquitous broadband networks, a population of online users, and an economic structure that helps drive broadband innovation and investment in new broadband uses. Not all states have these ingredients in equal measure.

"Broadband is the firm foundation for technological and economic growth in our states, our nation and our world," said Blair Christie, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Cisco. "The communities best able to connect the unconnected will see huge growth opportunities that we can scarcely imagine today. Broadband is transforming health care, improving educational opportunities and job training, and providing businesses with the tools they need to grow in the modern economy. We congratulate the bold leaders who have shown the vision to connect more people in their states to high-speed broadband."

According to the report, the following are the top ten leading states in the nation in the development of broadband infrastructure that is promoting economic development, stronger communities, improved delivery of government services, and upgraded educational systems:

1. Washington

2. Massachusetts

3. Delaware

4. Maryland

5. California

6. New Jersey

7. Vermont

8. Virginia

9. Utah

10. New York

The report also includes a section on states that are considered "overachievers" when it comes to broadband. The criteria for overachievers are divided into two categories: 1). States without inherent advantages in broadband such as low population density or a population that has low socio-economic indicators; or, 2.) States that may have low to middling rankings but those rankings would be lower if not for good choices at both the public and private sector levels to help the broadband environment. According to the TechNet report, the states that rank as the top overachievers include California, Delaware, Indiana, Nevada, North Dakota and Oklahoma, among others.

For a copy of the full report, case studies and a further description of its underlying methodology, please go to www.technet.org/research/ for more information. The State Broadband Index was conducted by TechNet Senior Fellow John B. Horrigan, PhD and TechNet Innovation Fellow Ellen Satterwhite and was underwritten by Cisco.

Facts About Broadband:

-- According to Connection Nation, broadband-connected businesses report annual median sales revenues approximately $300,000 higher than revenues for businesses without broadband.

-- According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, more than 68 percent of U.S. households today use high-speed broadband access.

-- According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, online high school graduates are two times more likely to go to college as those who are not online.

About TechNet: TechNet is the national, bipartisan network of CEOs that promotes the growth of technology industries and the economy by building long-term relationships between technology leaders and policymakers and by advocating a targeted policy agenda. TechNet's members represent more than one million employees in the fields of information technology, biotechnology, e-commerce and finance. TechNet has offices in Washington, DC, Palo Alto, Sacramento, Seattle, Boston and Austin, Texas.