Rural communities see big returns with broadband access, but roadblocks persist

The economic upside of internet access is being pushed by rural broadband advocates across the country who say that there isn’t enough being done to connect rural communities. Building out the necessary infrastructure, they argue, could function as an economic and informational driver for some of the country’s most cash-strapped regions. But one of the largest challenges, advocates say, is that there isn’t enough data to know where to invest effectively. The American Reinvestment Act provided funding for all 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia to extend broadband availability to rural areas, allowing policymakers and others to make informed decisions when allocating resources. But the funding for that project expired in 2015 and each year the data it produced becomes increasingly inaccurate and irrelevant. To make matters even more difficult for rural communities, major telecom companies don’t see many dollar signs in their own future by providing rural areas with access to the expensive infrastructure.