Many residents and businesses in Ohio’s rural Appalachian counties lack access to broadband Internet service, missing out on a chance to buy or sell products, avail themselves of medical care or just send an email.
That’s not acceptable, say leaders of several public, private and nonprofit organizations. Yesterday, they formed a task force to do something about it.
The Connect Appalachia Broadband Initiative was launched, aiming to make broadband available and improve computer literacy within 24 months.
Nonprofit Connect Ohio, a subsidiary of Connected Nation, has tracked the adoption of broadband technology and computer use in Ohio and produced color-coded maps that show where high-speed Internet service is available or adopted.
The maps are substantially blank in southeastern Ohio’s Appalachian counties.
One of the group’s reports shows that more than half a million residents say they have no broadband at home, and 124,000 report that service is unavailable or speeds aren’t sufficient to support what they want to do online.
The reasons for the problems include a sparse population — with a high rate of poverty — coupled with a landscape that presents obstacles to wireless technology, making it difficult and expensive for broadband providers to service the Appalachian region, said Bart Winegar, technical outreach manager at Connect Ohio.
In addition, many residents of that region don’t feel they need to access the Internet or don’t even own a computer, Winegar said.
The absence of such technology makes a profound impact, said former U.S. Rep. Zack Space.
“Lack of adoption is both a cause and a product of poverty,” Space said. “Broadband adoption affects everything — health care, business, security, education. This technology has the capability of serving as a bridge over the divide between poor, rural America and urban-suburban America. Someone has to build that bridge.”
Health-care systems are providing a major impetus for broadband adoption, said Randy Davies of Horizon Telcom, which has been active in bringing high-speed Internet coverage to rural areas of Ohio. Health-care providers realize that telemedicine — which uses such Internet tools as videostreaming, email and easy-access websites — can provide a way for doctors to provide care remotely, saving time and money for all involved.
The ability to offer high-speed Internet access was vital in keeping a business from moving out of Athens County, Horizon Telcom’s Davies said. The business manufactures environmentally friendly, ultra-low-temperature freezers for medical, research and other use.
“Athens County could have lost that company to another state without broadband,” Davis said.
The task force will include representatives of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, Chesapeake Energy and Connect Ohio as well as foundations and community organizations, representatives of the technology industry and governmental officials.
“I believe that with this partnership, we will greatly reduce the number of Ohioans in Appalachia without broadband service,” said Jason Wilson, director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia.
Wilson will be one of three co-chairmen of the task force. The others are Stu Johnson, executive director of Connect Ohio; and a representative of Chesapeake Energy.
The panel will have roughly 10 to 12 members, Johnson said.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Tim Feran
Quelle/Source: The Columbus Dispatch, 10.12.2011
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