Chattanooga is not the only community executing a full court press to encourage and facilitate gigabit application development. Illinois is trying its hand at running contests to create the most awesome apps to run on the several networks being built throughout the state.

Joining us is Drew Clark, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois. This non-profit collects and publishes broadband data, promotes higher-quality broadband access throughout the state and maximizes the impact, adoption and use of high-speed Internet services.

Besides giving listeners an update on the latest broadband projects coming from Illinois, Clark also offers valuable recommendations for coordinating programs that drive innovation.