According to the Daily Globe…

The public desire for broadband today can be likened to the demand for electricity, indoor plumbing and the landline telephone a century or more ago.

At one time, all of those were considered a convenience. Today, more and more people are realizing broadband is more than a convenience — it’s a necessity.

They appreciate the opportunity that MVTV Wireless spots afford residents who can’t get online at home and recognize that while’s value in wireless, fiber is the future…

Since last fall, Foote said seven wireless hotspots have been created across Nobles County, with two more locations still in development. Sites are operational at the Bigelow and Rushmore city halls, Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in rural Rushmore, the Reading Community Center, and the Leota, Little Rock and Seward township halls. MVTV Wireless is still working to develop a hotspot at the Dundee City Park, and wants to find a location in Ellsworth.

The hotspots provide service in areas of the county that were either unserved, or where Internet access is either unreliable or unaffordable. Foote said anyone with a laptop or mobile device can access the free service from within 300 feet of the tower.

Since the hotspots were completed last fall, she said usage is starting to pick up, particularly in Bigelow, Reading and Rushmore. The locations are signed as a mobile hotspot and directions are provided to link into the system. Registration is requested to gain access.

“The hotspots are in township halls or community centers so the groups that are meeting at those locations can also use the service to better facilitate their projects,” Foote said. …

“Ultimately, if we get fiber to every home, then the hotspots aren’t needed,” Johnson said. “We have a five-year goal on that.”