Broadband: should you need to want it to get it?

Reimagine Rural | By Mike Knutson | March 25, 2010

Dupree, SD (pop. 434) made the news last Tuesday. The town’s mayor is quoted in a Slate magazine article saying that the community is 30 years behind the times and that the town residents probably aren’t interested enough in broadband internet to pay for it.

That’s not the kind of inspiration community residents usually want to hear coming from their mayor. But in fairness to the mayor, I suspect he was quoted a bit out of context. I reach that conclusion because the author of the article uses Dupree as a case study in the argument against bringing broadband to rural communities.

The Argument against Broadband

Most people are aware that the Federal government is implementing a program that would help bring broadband to rural areas previously lacking it. Completing the task of wiring Rural America with ground-based broadband could cost the feds as much as $24 billion; but the plan is generally well supported.

Chris Wilson, the author of “What’s wrong with the FCC’s plan to bring high-speed Internet access to rural America,” makes the case that there are better places to invest this money. In doing so, he hides behind the statement, “Before the federal government invests billions in extending high-speed Internet to such areas, it ought to make sure people want it-and are ready for it.”

Do Rural Communities Need Broadband?

Do we want it and are we ready for it? Using these questions as the basis for one’s argument against broadband is a bit like asking, “Do you want healthier foods and are you ready it for them?” Well maybe, maybe not. But does that mean they shouldn’t be available to everyone?

Yes, I know that analogy is a bit cheesy, but the point is broadband internet is a vital part of every community’s infrastructure. Without it, I doubt rural communities have the ability to survive. Wilson may be willing to write off some rural communities because he doesn’t think they are worth it, but he shouldn’t hide behind the argument that rural residents don’t want it.

It’s about raising awareness

A couple weeks ago, I shared that Lindsey and I have been hosting a series of social media classes in Howard. Our reasons are many, but primary among them is the idea that we need to encourage local residents and business owners to use social media more effectively as an economic development strategy for Miner County. That starts with teaching them how to use it at all. We’ve had a fun and exhausting time with these classes, but just yesterday we were reminded again why we’re really doing it.

We had lunch will a local business owner who has been developing a social media strategy for her business as well as two community organizations she’s involved in. She’s using Facebook, and recently generated some buzz by mentioning a new product line on the Miner County Facebook Page. The bottom line is social media (and the broadband access that’s needed to facilitate its use) encouraged sales at a local business. That was good for the business and good for the community.

We’re lucky in Howard, SD and most of Miner County, SD to already have pretty good broadband technology. It would easy for me to say, I’ve got mine, so I don’t care about you. But I won’t. And I hope you won’t either.

 http://reimaginerural.com/broadband-should-you-need-to-want-it-to-get-it/

Issues: 

Reimagine Rural | By Mike Knutson | March 25, 2010

Dupree, SD (pop. 434) made the news last Tuesday. The town’s mayor is quoted in a Slate magazine article saying that the community is 30 years behind the times and that the town residents probably aren’t interested enough in broadband internet to pay for it.

That’s not the kind of inspiration community residents usually want to hear coming from their mayor. But in fairness to the mayor, I suspect he was quoted a bit out of context. I reach that conclusion because the author of the article uses Dupree as a case study in the argument against bringing broadband to rural communities.

The Argument against Broadband

Most people are aware that the Federal government is implementing a program that would help bring broadband to rural areas previously lacking it. Completing the task of wiring Rural America with ground-based broadband could cost the feds as much as $24 billion; but the plan is generally well supported.

Chris Wilson, the author of “What’s wrong with the FCC’s plan to bring high-speed Internet access to rural America,” makes the case that there are better places to invest this money. In doing so, he hides behind the statement, “Before the federal government invests billions in extending high-speed Internet to such areas, it ought to make sure people want it-and are ready for it.”

Do Rural Communities Need Broadband?

Do we want it and are we ready for it? Using these questions as the basis for one’s argument against broadband is a bit like asking, “Do you want healthier foods and are you ready it for them?” Well maybe, maybe not. But does that mean they shouldn’t be available to everyone?

Yes, I know that analogy is a bit cheesy, but the point is broadband internet is a vital part of every community’s infrastructure. Without it, I doubt rural communities have the ability to survive. Wilson may be willing to write off some rural communities because he doesn’t think they are worth it, but he shouldn’t hide behind the argument that rural residents don’t want it.

It’s about raising awareness

A couple weeks ago, I shared that Lindsey and I have been hosting a series of social media classes in Howard. Our reasons are many, but primary among them is the idea that we need to encourage local residents and business owners to use social media more effectively as an economic development strategy for Miner County. That starts with teaching them how to use it at all. We’ve had a fun and exhausting time with these classes, but just yesterday we were reminded again why we’re really doing it.

We had lunch will a local business owner who has been developing a social media strategy for her business as well as two community organizations she’s involved in. She’s using Facebook, and recently generated some buzz by mentioning a new product line on the Miner County Facebook Page. The bottom line is social media (and the broadband access that’s needed to facilitate its use) encouraged sales at a local business. That was good for the business and good for the community.

We’re lucky in Howard, SD and most of Miner County, SD to already have pretty good broadband technology. It would easy for me to say, I’ve got mine, so I don’t care about you. But I won’t. And I hope you won’t either.

 http://reimaginerural.com/broadband-should-you-need-to-want-it-to-get-it/

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