Broadband Service In Rural America Needs Lots of Work

National Broadband Map

If you take a look at the Commerce Department’s National Broadband Service map, you’ll see that a lot of America still doesn’t have a broadband Internet connection. It might look like sparsely populated areas, but in reality 28 percent of Americans don’t use the Internet, according to the NY Times. A lot of times, as the article explains, it’s not for lack of want: These people simply don’t have access.

Only 68 percent of Americans have access to broadband, according to a survey of 54,000 completed by the Commerce Department. Some people in Thomasville, Ala. have had to resort to driving to their local library’s parking lot to get a wireless signal. (The librarian took pity on them and now leaves the router on all night. If you need the password, it’s posted on the library door.)

In President Obama’s State of the Union, he promised that 98 percent of Americans will will get wireless Internet in the next five years. This map shows how important that goal really is. With no way to go to school remotely, find out if there’s a disaster in the area immediately or even chat with a customer service representative, Americans without Web access are at a disadvantage. Even though chances are most of these people just want to be able to have a Facebook account and watch YouTube videos, they still deserve the right to be connected to the rest of the world.

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richardhg

The future of broadband is wireless. Unfortunately, the FCC has auctioned off broadband to monopolistic players who have a responsibility to their shareholders to deliver them the highest possible earnings. They are under no compulsion to provide broadband service to the whole country, only to their profitable markets at the highest possible cost.

For the Federal Government to suggest that they now have a priority to get the country into the 21st century is a tad late. Americans spent the 20th century getting extremely well paid for their unskilled labor, and now that the skill bar is rising, as those least skilled jobs are easily automated, the unskilled masses are not going to be helped by having Internet access.

The demise of the US has been obvious for years. More and more of the wealth is being created by fewer and fewer of the people, which is why we are seeing a concentration of wealth at the top.

I suppose broadband for everybody might have some benefits as the equivalent of the Roman “bread and circuses”. But the possibility that should really scare the US Government is that people will discover how poorly their business has been managed by their politicians, and Twitter themselves into a new revolution.
pdianne

Wireless doesn’t work in many rural areas. Trees, rain, wind, snow, mountains, hills, barns… all are part of rural life here in Vermont and all negatively impact wireless broadband.

I live in a sparsely populated, rural(ish) area of Vermont and we all have access to DSL broadband. How? By having a small, local company who has been here probably since telephones first came to the area, committed to service and willing to work with the government to get it to us. Mega corps of any sort just don’t cut it here (just talk to my neighbors a few towns over).
http://nakedempire.wordpress.com nakedempire

Sadly, the infrastructure in this country is lacking and billions are needed. The military seems to get all the money with 2 ongoing wars and the military sponsoring Nascar, these projects wont get done. We all suffer.
Chris Wager

In addition, in some areas only one or two companies are permitted in an area. Because of city contracts with providers, creating a monopoly. In which the customers are the ones who have to endure poor service.