See Broadband Use Where You Live, Ask FCC to Improve It

New data from Microsoft has revealed a striking difference between the Federal Communication Commission’s characterization of rural broadband access and actual broadband use.

As an example, according to FCC data, 97.1 percent of residents in Tishomingo County, Miss., have access to broadband. But Microsoft’s data shows that only 3.6 percent of the population uses broadband. Information from Connect Americans Now describes this example as one among “countless examples just as extreme” in “every corner of the country.”

The FCC’s data focuses on where broadband is available, whereas Microsoft’s data shows how many people are using it. Commentary from Connect America Now says “it is hard to imagine that only 3.6 percent of Tishomingo residents would use broadband if it was virtually universally available to them.”

It went on: “The real flaw in this system is that the current FCC—which has made bridging the broadband gap one of its biggest priorities—inherited a flawed system. The way they collect data from local internet service providers inherently marks areas without coverage as covered.”

You can look at a map and see how widely used broadband is in your community at FarmEquip.org/broadband. You also can send a letter to Congress and the FCC stressing the importance of expanding access to broadband in rural America. Go to FarmEquip.org/broadbandletter.

Source: Connect Americans Now