Broadband mapping targets rural areas for stimulus funds
June 5, 2009
Broadband internet providers and the federal and state governments are working to map broadband access in rural areas to determine how to dole out funds from the $7.2 billion rural broadband stimulus.
This weekend in rural Vermont, one internet provider will be asking participants at the state's dairy festival in Enosburg Falls to help with the mapping effort. Communities that have already been mapped for service will be more attractive to telecommunications companies receiving these funds.
The Federal Communications Commission last week released a report entitled Bringing Broadband to Rural America: Report on a Rural Broadband Strategy, which identified several problems to overcome in bridging the digital divide to bring access to rural consumers.
Among the hurdles are technological challenges, lack of data and high network costs, according to acting FCC chairman Michael Copps.
Copps and secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack said bringing broadband to rural areas will restore economic growth and opportunity through improved education and job opportunities.
"Our nation as a whole will prosper and benefit from a concerted effort to bring broadband to rural America," Copps said.
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