Bridging Rural America's Digital Divide

"Rural communities across America continue to lag behind urban and suburban American areas in accessibility to quality education, health care, and communications technology. And ...these disparities are even greater when compared to countries such as Canada, Europe, and the industrial nations of Asia.

Without access to modern communications technology, rural communities are restricted from actively participating in the global economy, thereby limiting the quantity and quality of available services and restricting their ability to get their voices heard.

[A]s rural America lags further behind the rest of the country in access to modern communication, local newspapers and radio stations are being rapidly replaced by the community coffee shop as many rural citizens' primary news source. This sometimes leaves rural citizens without accurate information and breaks down opportunities for two-way dialogue between rural and urban communities.

Investment in planning and communication must be made if rural communities are to survive and prosper...Maintaining and building on services, connectivity, and technology is clearly central to a thriving economy and integral to the survival of our rural communities."