Last week we reported that almost three-fourths of the 26 million Americans without high-speed Internet service live in rural America. Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn pointed that out at the 2011 Rural Assembly in St. Paul, Minn., yesterday talked about the FCC's role in expanding rural broadband.
"It is unacceptable to me that so many citizens are being left behind. Rural residents need to have the same access to broadband services and applications as their urban counterparts," Clyburn said, citing data from the FCC Chairman's Rural Broadband Report that suggests a connection between broadband levels and and education and income levels.
Clyburn spoke of commission policies that promote broadband availability, but emphasized those efforts are not enough. "We also have to address the significant adoption gap for low-income and people of color," she said.
"The message Clyburn sent — one not heard enough — was that size doesn't matter. Yes, most people have broadband connections. But not everyone," Bill Bishop of the Daily Yonder writes.
To view Clyburn's speech, click here. To read the speech transcript, click here.
"It is unacceptable to me that so many citizens are being left behind. Rural residents need to have the same access to broadband services and applications as their urban counterparts," Clyburn said, citing data from the FCC Chairman's Rural Broadband Report that suggests a connection between broadband levels and and education and income levels.
Clyburn spoke of commission policies that promote broadband availability, but emphasized those efforts are not enough. "We also have to address the significant adoption gap for low-income and people of color," she said.
"The message Clyburn sent — one not heard enough — was that size doesn't matter. Yes, most people have broadband connections. But not everyone," Bill Bishop of the Daily Yonder writes.
To view Clyburn's speech, click here. To read the speech transcript, click here.
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