Frustrations of Broadband Availability
I live in a rural area in Georgia. Unfortunately, this area is like many others and we are limited in the ways we may connect to the internet. For the surrounding area, residents have basically two choices: Windstream High Speed Internet 
or
Honestly, neither is a good option. Windstream is currently facing several class action lawsuits (Windstream Lawsuit) about the difference between advertised DSL speeds and what service is actually being received. Windstream has a virtual monopoly in my area. Due to the problems associated with satellite-based internet (cost, speed, equipment, etc.) many do not consider it a viable option.
About a year ago, a local EMC (Electric Membership Corp.) received a grant to lay and operate fiber optic cable for high speed internet for certain customers in our area. I was thrilled to have another option. After requesting the service, it took several months for the company to ever get back in touch with me, and still more weeks to be told that the cable must be buried 18 inches underground and that our yard was way to rocky for them to install the cable. I guess I will be forced to stick with Windstream until someone truly decides to break up that monopoly in rural broadband.
On broadbandmap.gov, I can see that not only does my meager connectivity to the internet qualify as "above national average", I also notice that they include the major carriers (AT&T, Verizon & Sprint) as broadband access. This is true, but I find that the cost is very prohibitive for those that do not have unlimited data (no longer offered under AT &T and Verizon for newer customers). I fortunately do have unlimited data on my iphone, and I frequently resort to using it instead of a laptop due to speed and reliability.
Habersham County ranks a meager 92nd in speed for Georgia Counties. While Hall County (where I teach) ranks 32nd. The competition between AT&T, Charter and Comcast makes broadband access much more reasonable just a few miles south of where I live.
In order to eliminate barriers to broadband access, we must make broadband access competitive and less cost prohibitive. Free community connection points and access keys for financially underprivileged families makes a lot of sense toward breaking down those barriers.
In order to eliminate barriers to broadband access, we must make broadband access competitive and less cost prohibitive. Free community connection points and access keys for financially underprivileged families makes a lot of sense toward breaking down those barriers.
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