Norwich - High-speed Internet across the state's big cities and small towns could give Connecticut an edge in growing and keeping businesses, said State Comptroller Kevin Lembo on Wednesday.

Lembo updated the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments about an effort to make Connecticut the first "gigabit" state in the nation - and told local officials that there's still time to "join the conversation."

A coalition of about 50 municipalities is seeking information on how much it would cost to install a fast, fiber-optic network statewide that would be "available to every business and resident that wants it," he said.

New London, Waterford, Colchester and Lisbon are among the communities requesting information from potential vendors, according to a news release from the state Office of Consumer Counsel.

Lembo explained that while discussions on infrastructure improvements typically entail topics such as upgrades to bridges and roads, "that proverbial information superhighway may, in fact, be the road to success for us as a state."

Compared to other states, Connecticut has an older population, he said, but the state also boasts a high number of doctoral degrees per capita and a productive workforce. And, while the state may have aging infrastructure and ledge rock in the ground that requires blasting for most construction, it is also home to many data-driven companies.

He pointed to successes in cities, including Chattanooga and St. Louis, that have drawn companies to the area after installing high-speed, fiber-optic networks.

In Connecticut, the coalition represents about half of the state's population and both cities and small towns, said Lembo. Lembo added that the proposal may be particularly attractive to a small community that feels businesses tend to always locate to places with easy access to high-speed fiber optics.

"It feels right to me, and the process is moving forward in a very deliberate and thoughtful way," he said about the proposal. But he added that the communities could end up choosing not to pursue the network, either because of its costs or for other reasons.

"I don't know what the final answer will be," he said, "but I think there is a role for public officials in this conversation, because it's not going to happen organically on its own."

He said the state particularly has to consider rural areas where there are fewer incentives for existing Internet providers to build infrastructure.

In later discussions with the council, Lembo also emphasized the importance of high-speed broadband to keep small, start-up businesses within the state.

k.drelich@theday.com

Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich