When Broadband Comes to Rural Areas, Young People Stay

Tuesday, February 06, 2024

The vast majority of consumers in underserved areas who recently got high-speed Internet (86%) say that the newly available service has improved their lives, according to new research about rural broadband impact from Cox Communications. Respondents were in rural areas where Cox recently deployed high-speed broadband service.

Posted by LampLighter at 10:30 AM | 21 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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... Seventy percent of respondents under 31 years of age feel encouraged to remain in their communities. Seventy-three percent of responding millennials and younger and 45% of Gen X and older reported that having high-speed internet has a positive impact. Better connectivity to family and friends was reported by 80% of respondents.

In addition, the survey found that 62% of respondents reported improvements in access to online jobs and remote work. Eighty-four percent of respondents already working remotely reported increased capabilities in doing their jobs.

Other findings from the rural broadband impact report:

- - - High-speed broadband is twice as likely to improve the education of children in households making less than $50,000 per year than for families making more than that amount

- - - High-speed internet improved the ability to apply for college or vocational schools for 87% of students in families making less than $50,000 per year and 66% for those making more

In addition to other positive findings, Cox noted when announcing its survey results that a rural community leader stated, "We believe our people will have easier access to education, be healthier as they can now engage in telehealth, and have faster and easier access to apply for jobs and benefits."

"Our survey shows that a high-speed internet connection brings optimism and economic prosperity to rural communities," said Cox Communications President Mark Greatrex said in a prepared statement. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-02-05 08:11 PM | Reply

All I need is the Amazon truck and broadband and it doesn't much matter where I live.

#2 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-02-05 10:51 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

@#2

Yeah.

That Amazon truck seems to be a given.

But broadband, well... not so much.

When so much of our current economy seems to depend upon broadband access, what happens to those areas where broadband is not available?

(of course, I ask that question with Frontier sending me a leaflet today offering me 500/500 for $40 a month)

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-02-05 10:58 PM | Reply

"When so much of our current economy seems to depend upon broadband access, what happens to those areas where broadband is not available?"

Same question, but "high paying jobs." Capital, more properly.

The answer: Since 1975.

#4 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-02-05 11:02 PM | Reply

Another term is Economic Racism but white people only like calling things racism when it applies to whites.

Rural broadband (lack of) access applies to whites.

It's really more of a class thing; this is one where a minority of whites are affected.

Robert Bork wrote the law that gave us Cable TV, and then Cable Internet.

Republicans don't even know what I'm talking about.

Stay in school, kids!

#5 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-02-05 11:28 PM | Reply

@#5 ... Robert Bork wrote the law that gave us Cable TV, and then Cable Internet. ...

This?

Telecommunications Research and Action Center and Mediaaccess Project, Petitioners, v. Federal Communications Commission and the United States Ofamerica, Respondents,national Association of Broadcasters, Public Broadcastingservice, American Newspaper Publishersassociation, Intervenors, 801 F.2d 501 (D.C. Cir. 1986)
law.justia.com

... Rural broadband (lack of) access applies to whites.

It's really more of a class thing; this is one where a minority of whites are affected. ...

I do not currently agree.

In my view, it is an economic thing.

The profitability per square mile for the broadband providers is quite a bit lower in rural areas than urban areas. Population density and all that.

That's the problem I see in getting broadband providers to ~wire up~ rural areas.

Too much wire, too few customers.

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-02-06 01:18 AM | Reply

Jayhawks - Blue
www.youtube.com

Jayhawks are a cool group, so much great music....

#7 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-02-06 01:20 AM | Reply

If they're staying it's because they're able to work from home and make a decent living. That of course is not possible without access to high speed internet, but it's the WFH job opportunities that actually mean they don't have to leave a hometown with few or no other employment options.

#8 | Posted by qcp at 2024-02-06 08:54 AM | Reply

I'm not sure why some think "rural" always means "white". I guess they don't get out of the suburbs much. There are lots of rural Black folks in southern states, most of them descended from slaves and sharecroppers. I have a lot of family in these areas. Most them leave for college and pursue work in cities, but lately I am seeing a lot of them return "home" for the better cost of living, slower pace and and sense of community, refreshing abandoned properties and starting new businesses. I'm sure broadband access is helping.

#9 | Posted by Miranda7 at 2024-02-06 11:17 AM | Reply

"There are lots of rural Black folks in southern states"

And pretty much nowhere else that's rural.

#10 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-02-06 11:18 AM | Reply

I'm fortunate to live in a rural place that managed to implement fiber to the home through our local electric coop, several years ago. At this point, more than two thirds of our cooperative has fiber internet available.

It's unfortunate that the US is so far behind much of the developed world in implementing broadband. But this is what happens when we live in a nation where everything is accomplished by profit motive.

#11 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2024-02-06 11:36 AM | Reply

Broadband access is key to preserving rural American towns. I've driven thru dozens of small towns the past couple of years with vacant buildings and boarded up businesses on main streets. As the article evidences, young people leaving, depopulating them, is why.

#12 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2024-02-06 11:38 AM | Reply

Broadband access is key to preserving rural American towns.

But that's a handout.
--Republicabz who live in rural American towns.

#13 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-02-06 12:08 PM | Reply

(of course, I ask that question with Frontier sending me a leaflet today offering me 500/500 for $40 a month)
#3 | POSTED BY LAMPLIGHTER AT 2024-02-05 10:58 PM | FLAG:

That's the problem I see in getting broadband providers to ~wire up~ rural areas.
Too much wire, too few customers.

#6 | POSTED BY LAMPLIGHTER AT 2024-02-06 01:18 AM | FLAG:

The only wires that need to be run are to cell towers. When you pull CellMapper maps, to get into a dead zone you have to go to the middle of nowhere Wyoming and the very, very sparsely populated states.

I can be on a farm in the middle of nowhere Missouri and still have 4 bars and fps speed broadband on my phone. The "worst" signal I've gotten was in middle of nowhere Alabama, standing with a mountain between myself and the nearest tower. Still managed 500ms pings there.

#14 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-02-06 12:18 PM | Reply

Here in Okiehomie, just yesterday our own Governor Brownshoes stood up and talked about making this place #1 for AI in the US of A. And no one in the room where he spoke laughed aloud at Brownie. And out in the many small towns in the state folks didn't pick up on the governor's message, because--wait for it--Okkiehomie is one of the worst states in the US of A for broadband connectivity.

Which begs the question: can one be an AI Jedi by means of dial-up to an AOL account? Asking for many in the Sooner or Later State...

#15 | Posted by catdog at 2024-02-06 01:08 PM | Reply

Could we even go to the Moon with dialup technology?

#16 | Posted by sentinel at 2024-02-06 01:14 PM | Reply

As someone who lives in rural America I can say internet and cell service is terrible. My only option for internet is the local telephone co-op which provides me with 6Mbs for $78 a month. That does come with a landline which comes in handy as my cell phone doesn't make or receive calls inside.
You have to wander around the yard to try and get any signal and even then calls are constantly dropping. And sometimes its cold or rainy so you don't want to stand outside just to make a call.

#17 | Posted by ScottE at 2024-02-06 01:49 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

I thought that many of the baby Bell companies had agreed to expand broadband internet to rural areas in exchange for less regulation. I agree that high speed internet should be available as a universal service just as was dial up phone service. I lived with dial-up internet access for somewhat longer than many in my semi rural suburb area because I didn't want to pay $8000 to hook it up some years ago. Now I have full availability from 2 wired cable providers + others. I know exactly how deleterious lack of fast internet has become to society.

#18 | Posted by Robson at 2024-02-06 03:21 PM | Reply

"I thought that many of the baby Bell companies had agreed to expand broadband internet to rural areas in exchange for less regulation"

Including the regulatory power to enforce that deal... lol

#19 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-02-06 03:22 PM | Reply

#17 Do you have wifi calling enabled on your phone? I rely completely on wifi calling at home, can't get a cell tower at all.

#20 | Posted by Miranda7 at 2024-02-06 10:21 PM | Reply

#17 I. don't. understand.

Just get a land line it's 8.95 a month and it still works when the power goes out and the Internet goes out.

#21 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-02-06 10:58 PM | Reply