Letter to the Editor

Plan leaves rural businesses behind

Friday, October 7, 2011

Dear Editor,

I am concerned about a proposal for the Universal Service Fund under consideration by the FCC that would severely limit high-speed mobile wireless broadband expansion in rural communities in favor of outdated landline technology.

Under this proposal, rural Nebraska would lose out on up to $128 million for new mobile broadband sites and infrastructure over the next 10 years. We cannot allow this measure to leave our residents and businesses with yesterday's technology.

Mobile broadband is essential to our economic recovery, helping create jobs and foster innovation. A recent report by Deloitte projects the creation of 15 jobs for every $1 million invested in mobile broadband. If we invested $128 million in new mobile broadband networks, that could mean almost 2,000 new jobs in rural Nebraska over the next 10 years.

Just as rural electrification was spearheaded by George Norris in the 1930s, today the need in rural America is wireless Internet connectivity. Mobile broadband can improve our workforce's productivity, allow our businesses to stay connected to their customers and help our farmers track shipments and complete transactions without having to leave the fields.

Universal Service Funds brought cell phone sites to McCook and Indianola, both of which are now equipped with mobile broadband. But the job to bring Red Willow County's wireless network up to speed with the rest of America is not finished.

Please visit www.wirelessbroadbandforall.com and let Congress know that our residents and businesses want and need high-speed mobile broadband. We simply cannot afford to be left behind.

Sincerely,

Pauletta Gerver

Red Willow County Clerk

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