The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) today announced the “beta” launch of the Rhode Island Broadband Initiative Web site, www.broadband.ri.gov .

The RIEDC is encouraging all Rhode Islanders to visit the website to participate in the first phase of the Rhode Island Broadband Initiative – the “Speed Test” to measure broadband speeds across the state.

All Rhode Islanders with access to broadband (also known as high-speed) Internet service are asked to visit www.broadband.ri.gov and click on the icon that allows an individual to test his Internet speed. The Speed Test is a free and simple program that will yield valuable results for this effort. If you do not have access to broadband where you live or work, there is an icon to report that as well.

RIEDC and its partners in the Rhode Island Broadband Initiative will use this data to measure the state’s broadband coverage and performance and cross-reference that information being obtained in the recently initiated state broadband mapping effort.

This initiative is supported by a grant of $1.5 million in federal stimulus dollars from the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The funding supports a two-year broadband mapping project and five years of broadband planning, all of which will contribute to a national broadband map being developed by the NTIA.

The federal government has identified the expansion of the country’s broadband infrastructure as a key economic-development initiative. For more information, visit www.broadband.gov .

For questions, contact Melissa Chambers at RIEDC at 278-9119 mchambers@riedc.com, or Meaghan Wims at Duffy & Shanley at 278-4434 ormwims@duffyshanley.com.

Full Story: RIEDC launching broadband testing site Source: RIEDC, April 20th, 2010 Author: Danielle Baker Added on April 20th, 2010 at 9:30 am, by Corey Cantrell