Friday, July 20, 2018
Throughout Indiana, many Hoosiers rely on having a high-speed internet connection. While broadband has increased in our state, some areas – specifically rural areas – still lack access, affecting hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers.
According to the Federal Communications Commission, more than 40 percent of rural Hoosiers lack high-speed terrestrial broadband access. This puts our communities at a disadvantage because students cannot adequately access online assignments and entrepreneurs cannot reach new customer bases to expand their businesses.
Last session, House Enrolled Act 1065, which addresses the lack of rural broadband in our state, was signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb. HEA 1065 creates a grant framework for qualifying broadband deployment projects in unserved areas of the state and defines upload and download speeds for “qualified broadband service.”
Once this program is up and running, it will be a big step for Indiana toward reaching our goal of having broadband internet access available to all communities in our state. With reliable access, families, students, farmers, entrepreneurs and businesses alike will be better able to use the internet to the best of its ability and reach the national and global economy.
Additionally, as part of Gov. Holcomb and Lt. Gov. Crouch’s Next Level Agenda, we now have an updated Indiana Broadband Map, detailing which areas of our state have little or no broadband internet access. With the help of this map, we can pinpoint where broadband access is needed most and prioritize new developments as soon as the grants are awarded.
High-speed internet is critical for all Hoosiers, and this technology is often taken for granted where access is easily available. It remains a priority for Indiana lawmakers to ensure Hoosiers have access to these vital services.
