North Carolina creates a model for broadband in rural areas
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Like roads, electric grids and telephone lines, broadband will shape the pattern of economic development in the years ahead.
North Carolina is aggressively rolling out broadband -- by combining top-down goals and resources with bottom-up volunteer creativity and flexibility. The state legislature set the goal of providing the entire state with access to broadband by the end or 2003. It then set up the Rural Internet Access Authority (RIAA) to coordinate the effort.
Statewide, 2,800 volunteers and public-private projects inform the public and demonstrate broadband's possibilities. The agency's Web site, e-nc.org, helps state residents locate the nearest Internet providers. The site also collects requests for high-speed service to help providers map rollout efforts.
Another important point: North Carolina sees the issue in broad terms...by seeing supply, demand and content together. In other words, it's not just a matter of getting wire in the ground. Learn more. Go
posted by Ed Morrison |
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North Carolina creates a model for broadband in rural areas
