Broadband service in rural areas still lacking.
In the days of super-high speed internet access across the country there are still millions of people in the US that lack broadband access.
This is no mistake. Cable and other high-speed providers must answer to analysts and stock holders. The cost to run lines to rural areas in the country are too high for companies fighting for survival in these competitive times. Since the telecommunications industry is mostly unregulated there is no mandate to handle the requests of potential customers in many suburban and rural communities.
That leaves some people in rural areas without service. There have been reports that even if a customers offers to pony-up for the bill to have the cabling pulled to their homes, companies are refusing to provide the service. In one case a New Hampshire resident offered a $7,000 bill and the local cable provider refused to perform the installation.
The next step for people is to start up a T1 service, which can run on average $450 a month, that’s about 10 times what the cable company would have charged for similar service.
About 17% of rural homes have broadband service, leaving the US in 15th place, worldwide, in broadband penetration.