News

December 10, 2009

by Matthew Clark
Pittsburg Morning-Sun

PITTSBURG — It has been compared to the rural electrification from the early 1900s and state officials feel that its impact will be just as significant.

This week, Kansas was awarded $2 million in a federal grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is part of a larger, $7 billion that have been set aside to invest in infrastructure of rural broadband Internet.

“More than anything, it is about sustainable communities,” Kansas Department of Commerce spokesperson Joe Monaco said. “It is a quality of life issue because it is harder to retain and recruit businesses if that is not available.”

The latest round of grants will be used by the state to map where broadband is available. Monaco said they expect the mapping to be done by Feb. 2010.

Connected Nation, a nonprofit organization that helped Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee to expand their broadband access, has been contracted to assist in the mapping and to help develop a public-private partnership to build network access, said Brian Mefford, the group's CEO.

He said the group may also be able to help get low-cost computers to residents in rural areas.

Mefford said between 85 percent and 90 percent of Kansans are covered by broadband access, but that it is likely that only half of them actually uses the technology. He said many don't see the need for having a computer to assist with their lives, business or education.

Earlier this week, Kansas Lt. Governor Troy Findley compared this new infrastructure initiative to the rural electrification which was part of the New Deal after the turn of the 20th Century.

For communities, businesses and individual consumers, they are really at a disadvantage if they don’t have broadband,” Monaco said.

Monaco said that, in addition to the mapping project, the KDOC has 22 potential projects that they have recommended for infrastructure funding.

Of those, there are eight that will have impact to eastern Kansas.

“We are talking about improved government and tele-medicine efforts as well as business possibilities with the access of broadband Internet,” Monaco said. “This is a big deal. It will mean significant changes for rural Kansas.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

On the Web:
http://www.connectkansas.org

Link to article here.