Magpieblog

Why can't rural farmers in the US get broadband internet? There are lots of reasons given, but they all boil down to this: The feds haven't forced ISPs to provide universal service. That is, to force ISPs to pay the cost of connecting every customer who wants service -- as was done when the original copper-wire phone system was built out in the 20th century.

#Farms #Rural #broadband #DeadAreas #UniversalService #InternetProviders

https://dailyyonder.com/were-cut-off-rural-farmers-are-desperate-for-broadband-internet/2023/12/19/

‘We’re Cut Off’: Rural Farmers Are Desperate for Broadband Internet

This story was originally published by Modern Farmer. When Covid-19 hit, Lisa Stroup was excited for her granddaughter to come stay with her full time.

The Daily Yonder
Dec 19, 2023 at 6:36pmWeb
Show threadCassandrichDec 19, 2023
@sarahc There are really better technologies we should be developing for this. Rather than laying and maintaining huge amounts of copper or fiber, or polluting the sky & RF spectrum with satellite constellations, we could have directed point to point RF or optical links - especially in such wide open flat lands.
Show threadAstatideDec 19, 2023
@dalias @sarahc The whole thing would be much less frustrating if ISPs hadn't been taking federal funds for *years* for building out these systems and never doing it while simultaneously lobbying to ensure municipal broadband is illegal.
Show threadlonely extrovertDec 19, 2023
@sarahc my parents live in a tiny little town with no internet and patchy cell service. they use satellite internet and i think maybe sprint for the cell phones -- as well as a land line. my t-mobile phone gets zero signal there whatsoever.