Rural broadband is known as the ability to connect to the Internet efficiently from rural areas in the country and world. It is believed that the increase of rural broadband can stimulate economic growth in such areas. Currently, about 13.1% of
U.S. households do not have access to broadband (Singleton, 2015).West Virginia in particular is considered heavily underserved. Currently 29% of the state’s population is underserved, making the Mounain State one of the 5 fewest connected states in America ( “Broadband in West Virginia”, 2017).
One specific area in West Virginia that is heavily underserved is Pocahontas
County, which has absolutely no access to the minimum download speed of 25 mbps
( “Broadband in West Virginia”, 2017). One of the problems in
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Another issue is the lack of proper infrastructure and fiber-optic cable in the area. Without this, people’s everyday lives are greatly affected by not being able to watch television, use cellular devices, or even being able reach the internet efficiently from computers (“Middle Mile”, 2014). Many believe that the entire state of West Virginia needs an intermediate fiber-optic backbone, also known as the
“Middle Mile”, to connect rural areas with the national backbone.
Even though Frontier Communications pretty much runs a monopoly in the state, a possible solution is in the works. In April, House Bill 3093 was passed unanimously, making efforts to expand the reach of broadband services throughout the state by establishing the Broadband Enhancement Council under the department of commerce (Browning, 2017). The council’s duties are to establish a
RURAL BROADBAND IN WEST VIRGINIA
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Broadband Enhancement Fund as well as to increase public awareness of broadband service.
If all goes as planned, the increase of broadband in Pocahontas county