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Broadband is creeping across Blount County.

In recent months broadband made inroads in the Townsend and Walland areas. It expanded out U.S. 411 South toward Greenback and filled in between Louisville and Friendsville.

Corey Johns, the East Tennessee eCommunity project manager for Connected Tennessee, gleaned that from a quick look at a broadband service map on the connectedtn.org Web site.

"Blount County certainly saw a good amount of build-out in the last quarter in several areas," Johns said. "When we look at our map and see the kind of build-out like we did, we know we're doing something right."

Just what is broadband and what difference does it make?

There are plenty of definitions and some controversy about broadband's meaning, but pared down to its essence, broadband is what Johns demonstrated on his computer -- high-speed access to the Internet.

The new technology brings together data services, video and voice into a single network. Broadband connection can be achieved with fiber optic cable, coaxial cable, wireless technology or satellite. Connected Tennessee, through state government and its private and public partners, has a goal of connecting every Tennessean to the Internet and promoting its use.

That's crucial to a successful economic future, according to backers of the independent nonprofit organization. Crucial if you own a business or have a job. Crucial if you are a student or educator. Crucial if you care about urban revitalization or environmental sustainability. Crucial if you care about your health. Crucial to connect with people and events and markets around the globe.

Johns compared the drive to connect "last mile" users to the Internet to the extension of electrical power across America.

"Rural electrification is an analogy. We didn't just didn't snap our fingers and get electricity to rural areas," he said.

Johns has been on the job since March. Before that he was special projects manager for the Sevier County Economic Development Council. He said he plans to meet soon with Blount County business and government leaders to put together a strategic technology plan for Blount. He already sees progress.

"When we look at our map and see the kind of build-out like we did in Blount County the last quarter, we know we're doing something right," Johns said.

Mapping the nation

Nationally, there are efforts to move the country forward more quickly. But the stimulus package passed by Congress in February may have been too enthusiastic about spending money on one particular project: figuring out where broadband Internet access is available and how fast it is.

The $787 billion stimulus bill championed by the Obama administration set aside up to $350 million to create a national broadband map that could guide policies aimed at expanding high-speed Internet access. That $350 million tag struck some people in the telecommunications industry as excessive, compared with existing, smaller efforts. The map won't even be done in time to help decide where to spend much of the $7.2 billion in stimulus money earmarked for broadband programs.

Now it appears the final cost won't be as high as $350 million -- though just how much it will be is unclear.

To ensure the mapping money is used "in a fiscally prudent manner," the National Telecommunications and Information Administration signaled Wednesday it would initially spend more than $100 million, and then reassess the program.

This is happening while other countries are pushing ahead. AT&T's vice president for Industry and Mobility Application Solutions recently said his company is spending $16 billion to $18 billion on upgrading broadband capacity. To keep up with South Korea's target speeds for "ultraband" would require the U.S. spend $200 billion to $300 billion.

About two-thirds of U.S. homes already have broadband. It's available to many more, perhaps 90 percent of homes, but the figure is uncertain because of the lack of authoritative nationwide studies.

When the Pew Internet and American Life Project surveyed people who didn't have broadband in 2007 and 2008, it found that most of them aren't interested in it, find the Internet too hard to use, or don't have computers. Lack of available broadband was the third most common reason.

Statewide progress

Michael Ramage, executive director of Connected Tennessee, said the state is further ahead in broadband than some.

"Where we in Tennessee are ahead of the curve is we have a map. We know where the gaps are. We also know what challenges there are for broadband use, adoption and application," he said.

"Every community in the state has completed or is going through looking at the technology -- where are we at, where do we need to go, how do we get there."

The statistical data shows that the ability to transfer digital data is an economic necessity, not a luxury, according to Ramage.

"Businesses with broadband Web sites make more than twice annual median revenues as businesses without broadband. So businesses realize that it's important. ... Research shows there's a noticeable difference in children that have computers at home and those who don't," Ramage said.

"The real value -- it allows for better health care, education, business opportunities, better government. It all depends on how you use it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.