I’m not sure where you would come down on the idea of stimulus money being spent on the continuing development of rural broadband but I’m all for it. Thanks to rural_broadband’s heads up on Twitter I thought you’d be interested in these two stories.
The first one is from NPR, “Stimulus Stirs Debate Over Rural Broadband Access.” In it they quote former FCC Economist, Michael Katz. He’s obviously a city boy who doesn’t have a clue. Here’s an example of what I mean.
But he also spoke of rural places as environmentally hostile, energy inefficient and even weak in innovation, simply because rural people are spread out across the landscape.
Dude, could you possibly show more of your arrogance and ignorance? Fortunately this is a pretty well-balanced story as the following shows.
Rural advocates say high-speed access is a necessity in a global economy, and a critical part of economic revival and survival for rural places. Obama agreed during his campaign for president. His rural platform included this plank:
“Barack Obama will ensure that our rural Americans have access to modern communications infrastructure. He will … [promote] affordable broadband coverage across rural America as well.”
Let’s hope he keeps that pledge.
Then there’s another story pointed to in this article which is on the Daily Yonder titled, “Broadband Connection Highs and Lows Across Rural America.” The article pulls data from the Census of Agriculture and PEW Internet surveys. We’ve pointed to them before but this article has some nice charts and summaries of the data like the following.
Over 2.2 million farms were included in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Census, which is conducted every five years. In 2002, the Census found that half the farms in the country were connected to the Internet in some way (broadband or dial-up). By 2007, the percentage of farms with some kind of Internet connection inched up to 56.5%.
However, only 33% of farms in 2007 had broadband connections.
In a chart showing internet and broadband percentage for farmers by state it was interesting to see that Connecticut had the highest percentage of farmers with broadband and Mississippi had the lowest. We need to get some of that broadband stimulus money going in the deep south!
I heard the podcast this morning. I have never been so insulted in my life. THIS, THIS is the reason that nothing can be solved in Washington–this provincial divisive rhetoric. I am the daughter of farm boys and business owners, the product of a family who had means to send me far away for my education. And I know development and infrastructure is necessary, especially in rural areas. Because, Katz–when us countryfolk are doing well, that means YOU are doing well.
Well said. Let’s hope that more people think like you do. I guess time will tell on this one. Thanks.
I read somewhere a while back that the US is #15 in terms of broadband coverage, behind several 3rd world and “emerging” countries. Ridiculously inadequate and a disgrace. Big limitation on education, employment, and business in rural communities. And you are quite right about “arrogance and ignorance” of many politicians and even everyday Americans who dismiss rural America as less important than urban or suburban areas.
I live and work in a borderline rural area and had to wait years for semi-broadband, and only option now is barely functional cellular broadband that constantly drops to 1xRTT speeds that often don’t support needed services like GoToMeeting, video, etc. Two clients with businesses in this area need high-speed access but have NO OPTION BUT DIALUP!!!!!! It is hurting their businesses!!!!!! No wireless that is reliable 2+ weeks per month, no EVDO revA cellular coverage, and definitely no cable or DSL. Absolutely beyond belief in this day and age that the US is behind some 3rd world countries in broadband coverage. Hypocritical for anyone (public official or private citizen) to pay lip service to supporting small biz, job creation and education, then discount the necessity of rural high speed access.
I really really hope that Obama and those interested in supporting Americans of ALL areas will act on the promises of improving broadband coverage. Thank you for shining a light on this important issue.
Contact your city’s local offices about this. I grew up in a small town and the first thing I did was to alert them to this elitist comment and troubling mentality that urbanites have of us small town folk. It’s easy to see why there is a growing gap in class differences. This type of thinking comes right out of a sociology textbook as the definition for “classicism.” This news tidbit made me want to vomit. I e-mailed the offices of the city in which I grew up and still visit to this day.
I think this is a great idea. I have been saying for months now that rural America is at a disadvantage in many aspects because quality internet access is so difficult to obtain. I can’t imagine trying to do anything but surf a generic text only page nowadays with dial up! Let’s hope that when broadband is offered, it is a good sound system, not one that will explode once there are three users (an exaggeration I know, but I had that problem with my last broadband provider).