With Large Underserved Areas, Idaho Seeks to Establish Statewide Educational Network

The state of Idaho took a step toward a broadband strategy with the March 2008 passage of H. 543, a bill that establishes a statewide broadband network. The Idaho network will be similar to the Utah Education Network, and hence used primarily for educational purposes. Still, the network would also aid both industry and government, wrote Sharon Fisher of NewWest.net, an online media company. The bill seems to rebuff provider Qwest Communications' assurances that the majority of people residing in Idaho and desiring high-speed Internet access already have it, wrote Fisher. Mark Reed, who manages a fiber-optic network for the city of Idaho Falls, said there remain some rural areas in the state that have merely one broadband provider. The network connects all city sites and has also built out fiber-to-the-premise capabilities that are leased to commercial areas. In an interview, he said that Idaho "can do better" than it currently is doing on broadband.