1. Getting Connected: Benefits of Broadband in your Home
Tanesha Hixon Office 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 family’s 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, and……even 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, and……even more information!
Find recipes for any and everything
Get the latest on news, weather, and your favorite sports team…in real time!
Need to know “how to”?....
Fix a television
Play poker
Speak Spanish
Sew
And anything else you want to know…It’s 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 programs—enrollment in online courses have increased 40 percent since 2005
Individuals with a bachelor’s degree make $23,000 more than high school graduates per year.
*A survey conducted of two remote and rural broadband networks in British Columbia, “You Snooze,
You Lose: The Economic Impacts of Broadband in the Peace River and South Similkameen Regi
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 too…but 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 s 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, Director (517)
Tanesha Hixon (517)