Almost 40 percent of rural Americans do not have access to broadband internet service.
A front-page article in the Wall Street Journal says that amounts to about 23 million people whose online service, at best, can be compared to dial-up speeds.
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says broadband connectivity should be considered the “roads, sewers and water” of the modern age. But industry estimates say it costs $30,000 a mile to install fiber-optic cable to reliably allow broadband access.
The situation is improving. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution article says high speed internet is now available to more than 60 percent of rural homes. A decade ago that service was only in 35 percent of rural residences.
Source: brownfieldagnews.com