Experts say President Donald Trump’s
plan to bring broadband service to rural areas won’t be easy and will be
costly — about $80 billion. However the White House initially proposed
spending $25 billion over 10 years on rural infrastructure.
Policy experts disagree on the best methodology to use and how much of the tab the federal government should pay for, reports Bloomberg. “Our
suspicion is the president’s plan won’t be sufficient,’’ said Johnathan
Hladik, policy director for the Center for Rural Affairs, a
Nebraska-based non-profit that advocates for small farms. “We’re happy
he’s saying it. You also have to do it, and that’s where it gets
tough.’’
Only 55 percent of rural Americans
have access to download speeds faster than 25 Mbps, compared to 94
percent in urban areas, according to a 2016 Congressional Research
Service report. Advocates say high-speed internet is necessary for
everyday life and business. Inside Towers
has reported several members of Congress who represent rural areas have
constituents who must do their school work or some of their business in
fast food parking lots to get WiFi. Continue Reading
No comments:
Post a Comment