FCC awards $800m for rural broadband development

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says it's ready to disburse nearly $800 million to fund rural broadband deployments in 19 states, with Illinois, Arizona and Iowa getting just over half of the total pot.  The FCC said it has already distributed more than $6 billion for rural broadband in 47 states through the …

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Let snort some speed ...

Working around the US I see a lot of these issues in the countryside - certainly a higher speed would be good but I would much rather see a reliable access so that everyone has continuous access rather than fast intermittent access. Driving around with a phone in the countryside currently means you may have data service and then suddenly none until the next valley. When I visit then it's worth noting areas that I can drive into and check my email in case another area has virtually no service.

It's way out in the country so I'm simply working on it, not bitchin' about it - it's wonderful in the evening to see stars and occasionally even meteors ... something you can't ever see in the cities with high-speed access and street lights everywhere.

[Marty McFly]

Re: Let snort some speed ...

The ship has sailed on land based rural broadband. Centurytel has been charging me some bravo-sierra 'Infrastructure improvement fee' every month for the past 20 years. I haven't seen a dime spent on improvement. I took only seven years for Starlink to go from an idea to a mass market product.

We are witnessing they dying gasps of rural land based connectivity. They squandered away their single provider lock on the market and Starlink is stealing their lunch. A lot of us have tolerated Centurytel's garbage and non-existent customer service for too long because they were the only game in town. They can go pound sand now.

[Randesigner]

Rural today... heavily populated tomorrow

A lot of this money is used to fund broadband in rural areas on the edges of large metro areas that are slated to be developed into large housing developments and future shopping centers. So, yeah, it's rural now, but it won't be in a year or two. A great way for the telecoms and cable companies to have someone else fund their expanding infrastructure.

[EricB123]

USA! USA! USA!

I just don't understand how the USA keeps showing mediocre ratings on roads and bridges, Telco services, whatever.

Besides being #1 in total debt owed to everyone (yes, Japan is supposedly #1 of debt to GNP but I'm referring to total amount), exactly what is the USA #1 in?

[My other car WAS an IAV Stryker]

Re: USA! USA! USA!

Obesity.

Face it, 'Murica, we are FAT bastards!

(I'm NOT "big-boned", I am overweight. Or, as the wife and kids were half-joking last night: fat, old, and ugly.)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: USA! USA! USA!

School shootings.

[Marty McFly]

Iowa Internet access....

In 1989 I was one of the first three students on campus to get Internet access at an Iowa college. Apple //c, 2400 baud modem, and a three modem pool to call in to. I was quickly one of the first two students to have Internet access revoked for doing the wrong things. Ooops. But hey, it was the genesis of an Acceptable Use Policy for everyone else.

At the time Iowa was making a massive investment in rolling out fiber across the entire state. It was a 'big deal' in its day, though that was (wow) over 30 years ago. It seems to me the state should have plenty of rural backbone and may just need to complete the 'final mile' to bring it to residences & businesses.