Written By From streaming movies to video conferencing, the internet has become an essential part of modern-day life. But for millions of Americans living in rural areas, accessing reliable and speedy broadband is a daily struggle. Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, the US lags behind many other nations when it comes to providing high-speed internet access to its citizens. In this post, we’ll delve into why rural broadband is such a pressing issue and what’s being done about it – or not – as we explore the troubling state of disconnectedness that exists across large swaths of America today.
The Problem
There are vast areas of the United States that remain without access to broadband internet, a problem that is only getting worse. According to the National Broadband Plan released in 2016, 41% of Americans live in rural areas that do not have access to high-speed internet. In comparison, just 26% of Americans live in urban areas without this same lack of access. The problem is even more pronounced when looking at specific demographics: 31% of Native American and Alaskan residents, 28% of African Americans, and 23% of Hispanic Americans live in rural areas without broadband access.
The reason for this lack of broadband access is complicated and multi-layered. Some factors include the cost of infrastructure installation, the distance between communities and providers, and the fact that many rural areas were never designed for high-speed internet use. Regardless of the reasons, it is clear that there are huge gaps in coverage across much of rural America, which means that millions of people are missing out on important opportunities because they cannot get online.
The consequences of a lack of broadband access are severe. Studies have shown that people living in underserved communities are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed, experience lower incomes, and have poorer health outcomes than those who have better broadband access. Additionally, people who can’t get online often rely on traditional forms of communication (such as face-to-face meetings) instead. This means that they are less likely to participate in economic development initiatives
How Broadband is Affecting Rural Communities
Rural communities in the United States are struggling to keep up with the ever-growing demand for broadband internet. According to a study released by Akamai Technologies in February of this year, only 56 percent of Americans living in rural areas have access to speeds of at least 25Mbps downstream and 3Mbps upstream, which is well below the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) goal of having 75 percent of Americans living in rural areas have access to those speeds by 2020.
One big reason why rural communities are struggling to keep up with broadband demand is because they don’t have the same access to resources that bigger cities do. In large metropolitan areas, there are more businesses and government agencies that can invest in broadband infrastructure, which allows for faster and more widespread deployment of high-speed internet. Smaller towns and rural areas don’t have that same capacity; meaning that it can be harder for them to get approval from landowners or receive funding from state or federal governments to build broadband networks themselves.
Another issue plaguing rural communities is their lack of competition when it comes to broadband providers. Because there are so few providers available in these regions, providers tend to be able to charge higher prices than they would if there were more choices available. This means that even though residents may be paying a high price for their broadband service, they may not actually be getting a good deal overall. And since most people use their internet connection for both work and leisure activities, having
What Needs to Be Done to Solve the Problem
There’s a disconnect between the reality of broadband availability in rural America and what policymakers and the marketplace consider to be necessary for economic development. The FCC’s latest Broadband Progress Report found that “even as many Americans live in areas where broadband is available, they often have limited options for obtaining high-speed Internet access.”
The report identifies two primary barriers to broadband deployment: market forces and regulatory impediments. Market forces include a lack of competition and investment, while regulatory impediments include outdated regulations and insufficient infrastructure investment.
A number of policies are needed to bridge these gaps, including: repealing laws that impede broadband deployment; reforming spectrum policy; enacting expansionary fiscal policies; and increasing federal funding for telecommunications infrastructure.
Solutions to Address the Disconnection Issue
Many people in rural America are facing disconnection issues when trying to access broadband internet. This is due to the lack of availability and competition in the market. Solutions to address this disconnection issue include increasing competition, improving infrastructure, and increasing availability of high-speed data plans.
Increase Competition:
One solution to increase competition in the broadband market is to increase the number of providers. This can be done by expanding access to towers and other infrastructure, or by lowering barriers to entry for new providers. If more providers are available, they will be able to offer lower prices and better services.
Improve Infrastructure:
Another solution is to improve infrastructure. This could include expanding access to towers and other infrastructure, or upgrading outdated networks. Improved infrastructure will make it easier for providers to expand their network across rural areas, and will also reduce the amount of time people have spent waiting for a connection.
Increase Availability of High-Speed Data Plans:
One way to address the disconnection issue is by increasing availability of high-speed data plans. This can be done by expanding access to cellular networks, improving wireless infrastructure, or installing new fiber networks. If more people have access to high-speed data plans, they will be able connect even if their broadband connection fails.
Conclusion
Today, rural Americans are faced with dwindling options for broadband internet service. The lack of broadband access has serious implications for the economic vitality of these areas and can limit the opportunities available to residents. In order to address this issue, we need to understand the root causes and focus on concrete solutions. We hope that this report will help us move in that direction.
