Stimulus funds could give rural Missourians more Internet options

Rural residents might get another option for Internet service.

Gov. Jay Nixon announced the state will recruit businesses for a program that would bring broadband Internet service to rural areas, paid for with federal stimulus money.

The project, called MoBroadbandNow, will connect clusters of 50 more dwellings and institutions such as hospitals and schools with high-speed Internet access.

“To be truly competitive in the 21st century, we must upgrade our technology infrastructure with the goal of giving every Missourian access to the information superhighway,” Nixon said in a release.

“Because this is an opportunity of great importance for education, for agriculture and for industry.

Local reaction to the proposed program was largely positive.
Economic Development Sedalia-Pettis County Executive Director Linda Christle said the area needs high-speed Internet to lure companies.

“It’s a great idea, and it’s a great way to use the dollars. It’s an opportunity to lay the foundation for the creation of jobs, rather than creating a job that disappears in two years,” she said.

Christle said it would help to have the fiber lines already in place.

“You can’t wait until you have someone interested, because it takes too long,” she said.

High-speed access would help local residents start their own businesses, said Pettis County Presiding Commissioner Rusty Kahrs. He said the project is worth exploring in order to give rural residents equal opportunities and access.

“The more we can do to enhance that service in our rural areas, the better off we are” from both an education and an economic perspective, he said.

Kahrs said rural residents could have better access to online courses with high-speed service.

“Online education is becoming more and more prevalent, and there may be people who have lost their jobs, changed their jobs, who are going through a transition period who can get some retraining,” he said.

The State Fair Community College Web site recommends cable or DSL service for its online classes, which are not available in many rural areas.

Rick Lashley, general manager of I-Land Internet Service, said the company is investigating whether it is eligible to participate as a partner in the project.

“It is most important for us and for rural customers. (Telecommunications companies) and cable companies aren’t going to do it,” he said of the program.

He said small businesses and other customers will benefit because they don’t have as many Internet options.

“We also have already been working towards providing rural areas with broadband Internet service for three years now,” he said.

The rising popularity of video streaming sites led to increased demand for higher-speed services.

Lashley said many customers in rural areas have high-speed access through satellite or Wi-Max service, both of which range from 400 kbps to 5 Mbps or 6 Mbps.

Charter Communications’ Web site advertises cable Internet speeds between 5 Mbps and 15 Mbps. Cell phone providers, which offer Internet access over the cellular network, advertise speeds of between 700 Kbps and 1.5 Mbps.