Summit in Appalachia to brainstorm ideas for expanding rural broadband internet access

FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn

A July 18 summit will bring together experts from across the country to brainstorm ways to expand broadband internet access in rural communities. The Appalachian Ohio-West Virginia Connectivity Summit will be held in Marietta, Ohio, and will feature panel discussions, breakout sessions, and speakers such as Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.

The summit is the product of a partnership between the Center for Rural Strategies and Public Knowledge. The Center for Rural Strategies is a nonprofit that seeks to improve rural communities through spotlighting rural culture and reporting relevant news through its Daily Yonder blog. Public Knowledge, also a nonprofit, says it promotes "freedom of expression, an open internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works."

"In 2017, broadband is essential," speaker Kate Forscey, government-affairs associate counsel for Public Knowledge, said in a press release. "Connectivity makes the difference in access to a solid education, healthcare, and a stable job. Connectivity is the difference between your 911 call connecting to a first responder, or going unanswered. Yet more than 20 million Americans in rural communities still lack basic access to high-speed broadband, which is necessary to participate in daily life."

Click here to register for the event or learn more.