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Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Verizon has new rural broadband service @ $60/mo.

Verizon Wireless announced today it will offer broadband services to rural homes that can't have DSL or cable Internet, The Associated Press reports. The service, HomeFusion, could provide "potent competition for satellite broadband providers, which are often 'providers of last resort' for rural homes," AP reports. Users would have to install an antenna about the size of a five-gallon bucket on an outside wall, for about $200. Service starts at $60 a month for enough "allotment to download the complete works of Shakespeare 2,000 times, or to watch 10 hours of HD-quality video" using a streaming service such as Netflix.

The Rural Blog has extensively covered rural broadband expansion and the importance of such an endeavor. Verizon doesn't mention plans to help low-income rural residents who likely can't afford $200 worth of equipment or $60-a-month broadband. It also says HomeFusion service will launch first in three metropolitan areas: Dallas, Nashville and Birmingham. (Read more)

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