ICYMI, a report released last week says that up to 30,000 jobs are either supported or created in Ohio by investment in broadband and that the state should consider telecom reform. The report was conducted by Jack Kleinhenz, Adjunct Professor in Economics at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, in conjunction with the Digital Policy Institute at Ball State University.

From Ball State University, last Thursday:

Updating Ohio’s regulations for the telecommunications industry would foster an environment spurring job creation — much like what has happened in other states, including Indiana, says a new report by Ball State University.

The analysis of Ohio’s telecom industry by researchers from Ball State’s Digital Policy Institute (DPI) points out that 30,000 jobs exist in Ohio due to broadband wireless deployment and other digital services, but the state’s telecommunication policies stifle competition, innovation and future capital investment.

The Ohio state legislature is currently considering legislation that would start the process of reforming the state’s dated telecommunications policies.

“Ohio has taken incremental steps in recent years, including when it recently enacted video reform legislation that brought consumers new choices in the marketplace, but the state has to take a major step forward now,” said Robert Yadon, professor of information and communication sciences and DPI senior research fellow. “Only those states that support a level playing field can expect to attract new outside investment capital. Ohio should move with dispatch to create an environment that attracts these limited investment dollars if it wants to grow a 21st century economy.”

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Economist says telecom reform and broadband investment key to Ohio job growth. A report released Thursday says that up to 30,000 jobs are either supported or created in Ohio by investment in broadband and that the state should consider telecom reform. [Ohio Tech Bits Blog]

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A new report released Thursday by Jack Kleinhenz, Adjunct Professor in Economics at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, in conjunction with the Digital Policy Institute at Ball State University, says that up to 30,000 jobs are either supported or created in Ohio by investment in broadband.

The report, titled “The Evolution of Telecom and the Ohio Template for Reform: 2009,” also points out that in order to encourage additional investment in broadband during the current economic downturn, Ohio should consider reforming legacy regulations and archaic provisions in the Ohio Revised Code that stifle competition, innovation and future capital investment.

“The Ohio Revised Code still contains over 50 references to the word ‘telegraph’ in the section on telecom law. While the telecom industry has changed completely in the past decade, the laws in Ohio have not,” said Kleinhenz.

Kleinhenz said that while capital investment by Ohio telecoms has kept abreast of the U.S. investment rate in the past, strained economic times will limit investment dollars in the foreseeable future. All providers have any number of choices on where to invest, and in this environment capital dollars for new broadband will only flow to states that are set up to attract new investment.

“Ohio policy makers must realize that that the world has changed and Ohio laws need to change with it,” Kleinhenz said.

The full study can be found here.