Closing the broadband gap is more critical than ever

How can we remove barriers and develop creative incentives to make rural broadband a reality?

It is hard to imagine in our fast-paced, digital world what would happen if you suddenly lost your internet connection at home for the unforeseen future.  Would you sit in a WiFi-enabled parking lot for hours to finish a late-night work presentation?  Would you drive your children to a WiFi-enabled school bus so that they could complete their e-learning?  Would you consider moving from your dream home in the country that your grandfather built to be able to stream Netflix and Disney+?

This is the reality many Hoosiers faced even before coronavirus, and if there is one thing the pandemic has shown, families need access to high-speed internet to exist. High-speed broadband has been a liberator for so many of us disconnected from families, friends and loved ones. Those of us on one side of the divide have been able to FaceTime with loved ones and video connect into virtual lessons.  Employers quickly turned to Zoom meetings to preserve businesses and maintain operations. 

For those on the other side of the so-called “digital divide” — unequal access to high-speed Internet access and computers — a bigger problem is looming.  At stake isn't just whether someone in rural Indiana can watch animal videos on YouTube or check Facebook. It's about whether rural communities can survive.  

Indiana is already starting behind because it defines broadband as 10 Mbps download speed and 1 Mbps upload speed, while the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) defines broadband as 25 Mbps download speed and 3 Mbps upload speed.  

A recent survey in Posey, Gibson, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties, conducted by the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana and its regional broadband committee, showed that 35% of households living in the rural areas do not have a fixed internet connection at home. This means residents are using a cellular data plan, satellite service or have no options available.   What is even more alarming is that 40% of these households are attempting to work from home.  

The top two fixed broadband solutions within the survey area include fixed-wireless and DSL technologies, however, further analyzing the speed available through these two technologies, the speeds available are well below the minimum 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload speed Indiana standard. 84% of households with DSL technology reported speeds lower than 10:1 and 81% of households with wireless technology reported speeds lower than 10:1. This data does not take into account those that reported that the speed test would not run because the internet was too slow at the time to take the speed test.

The ongoing survey has over 4,200 responses, and the stories families are sharing would make elected official, economic developer, and employer alike cringe. These stories are not unique to Southwest Indiana but can be felt in all areas without reliable broadband. 

“We would like to join the 21st century and stream TV programs. Lack of adequate internet is one of the reasons we plan to leave the area within a couple years when we downsize,” said one family.

Another resident said, “My employer has technology in place that allows employees to work remote, and my job often requires tight deadlines and quick turnarounds of information. I have spent many nights late in the office during the pandemic finishing projects because my only option at home is to use a mobile hotspot which is very slow and not reliable.”  

Rural businesses have expressed concern about their inability to expand or grow. “We can’t complete online forms and paperwork online for our business to run smoothly now so figuring out how to develop a new business idea is out of the question unless we can have reliable internet access.”

If we know rural broadband is a necessity, why is there a lack of infrastructure? Simply put, building networks in rural America is incredibly expensive, and in some places it's nearly impossible.  With low population density and rustic terrains, broadband providers find it too costly to offer services and not enough customers to pay for it.  

With broadband having become as essential as running water and electricity to improving people's daily lives and providing a standard of living equal to that of urban and suburban parts of the country, the question becomes, “how can we remove barriers and develop creative incentives to make rural broadband a reality?” Some argue it’s permitting issues. Some argue it’s the high cost to build.  Some argue it’s the regulatory red tape. Some argue it’s not enough subsidies. Some argue about the role of state and federal funding in broadband expansion. Some argue it’s underutilized dark fiber.  Some argue about the importance of competition on pricing.  Some argue the speed standard should be changed.  It's a problem virtually everyone agrees needs to be solved -- even if nobody can agree on a solution or the exact barriers to remove in Indiana.

Audrie Burkett is Vice President and COO of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, a 2020-2021 MDLF Fellow, and a resident of Evansville.