That is my favorite line from a recent editorial in the St Cloud Times, written by an Avon resident who is frustrated by dialup access. The story is familiar – a rural Minnesota resident goes from being frustrated with no access to broadband to having limited choices, none of which are affordable.
As the author points out, some folks might say that she has chosen to live in a rural area. She has traded in her broadband for no rush hours. Unfortunately, broadband is becoming less of an elective – more of a requisite. Broadband is no longer a time-saving luxury it opens the doors to resources that are at least as necessary in rural areas. Broadband is required for most online job applications, grant applications, research and more.
Anyways the editorial is worth the read!
I did enjoy that editorial. I wish more people would realize that expanding broadband to rural areas is good for urban folks like me because networks are more valuable the more people that are on them. Expanding broadband is not charity, it is a win-win and a must for our country to succeed in the coming decades.
By: christopher mitchell on August 19, 2009
at 9:40 pm
That’s a great point. I think some people treat networks like information – those who have it are at an advantage – but a network to a limited number of folks just isn’t as valuable as you point out.
By: Ann Treacy on August 19, 2009
at 10:07 pm
[...] Now maybe telework will be the killer app that drives demand to every dark corner of the state – or maybe telework will only be a tool that’s available to businesses and residents in areas served by broadband. Or maybe the government will look at reallocating money saved from the transportation budget to broadband. I hope it will be the killer app or I hope cost saving can be spent on broadband infrastructure – but I’m a little afraid it will be another way in which we’re “disqualifying an entire population because if net access”. [...]
By: Telecommuting: a transportation issue « Blandin on Broadband on August 24, 2009
at 7:38 pm
[...] Now maybe telework will be the killer app that drives demand to every dark corner of the state – or maybe telework will only be a tool that’s available to businesses and residents in areas served by broadband. Or maybe the government will look at reallocating money saved from the transportation budget to broadband. I hope it will be the killer app or I hope cost saving can be spent on broadband infrastructure – but I’m a little afraid it will be another way in which we’re “disqualifying an entire population because if net access”. [...]
By: » Telecommuting: a transportation issue Telematika Pedesaan on August 24, 2009
at 8:17 pm