connectkentucky Plan Prepares State for Tech-driven Economy (How does Montana compare based on this criteria?)

Sixty-nine percent of Kentucky businesses use computer technology to handle some of their business functions, but only 36 percent use the Internet and little more than 20 percent have a website, according to a report released by Governor Paul Patton’s Office for the New Economy. Kentucky Prepares for the Networked World, which details computer, Internet and website use among the state’s businesses, shows more than 50 percent see "no need" to use the Internet.

The report is part of the governor’s connectkentucky strategic plan that is designed to give Kentucky a sophisticated information network. It was commissioned by a steering committee to respond to the governor’s request to assess the condition of the Kentucky’s Internet highways, high-speed on-ramps to the highways and current use of the Internet by business, government and consumers.

Overall, the state is on par with national averages in business use of computer technology and the Internet, yet significant regional differences remain, the report states. The survey results show more than 60 percent of Kentucky’s city and county governments do not have a website. In addition, of those that do have a website, the vast majority provide only basic information, not the e-government services that keep citizens from having to visit the local courthouse or city hall.

Several strategic goals are outlined in the report:

* Increase public awareness of the benefits of e-commerce, e-government and e-learning to Kentucky’s businesses, governmental agencies and citizens;

* Create and implement market driven strategies that increase business, consumer and government use of the Internet; and,

* Implement public policy initiatives that promote competition and eliminate regulatory barriers to increase Internet usage and enhance broadband deployment throughout Kentucky.

Each goal also has success measures that outline how the connectkentucky Steering Committee will measure their progress in the future.

Kentucky Prepares for the Networked World contains some helpful maps showing the degree of Internet access in all of the state’s 120 counties. The report is available at http://www.connectkentucky.org.