Why is the USDA paying for people to get high speed internet?

[Stormy Daniels]

The internet is a vital piece of national infrastructure in this day and age.

You don't move out to the sticks to be part of the newest trends and technology. Just like you don't move downtown of a city for peace and quiet.

Cool story, bro. I'm sure you'd love it if we left these people without electricity or running water while we're at it. In the meantime, I think it's not the worst idea to get them a decent internet connection. Being out there in the sticks they could use some online shopping so they can order supplies and have them delivered to their homes, instead of having to take a canoe into town once a month.

 

[Dekster]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Rural and small markets are not profitable enough for carriers to expand into. It was one of the reasons the Obama era net neutrality rules got shitcanned. They killed expansion into rural and low income urban areas where providers are often mom and pop scale businesses that 1) could not afford the added compliance reporting costs and 2) could not afford the expense of having mandated delivery speeds to all its customers since a tree or building between a customer and the tower could greatly diminish speeds.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

The internet is a vital piece of national infrastructure in this day and age.

You don't move out to the sticks to be part of the newest trends and technology. Just like you don't move downtown of a city for peace and quiet.

Cool story, bro. I'm sure you'd love it if we left these people without electricity or running water while we're at it. In the meantime, I think it's not the worst idea to get them a decent internet connection. Being out there in the sticks they could use some online shopping so they can order supplies and have them delivered to their homes, instead of having to take a canoe into town once a month.

Yeah, well the Amish live exactly that way: no running water or electricity, and they do just fine. It's why they live where they live.

Providing high speed internet to these areas is just another attempt at vote buying. And I'd be willing to bet over half of them won't even use it. Hell, I know older people who don't have cable, internet or a cell phone in the city. They are quite happy living the way they always lived. The only reason my mother has a cell phone is because I was concerned about her being driven by my Aunt and Uncle who didn't have a phone either. It made me nervous. But when I get my bill from Verizon, they itemize the usage of what I'm paying for. My mother hasn't used that phone in almost a year.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Rural and small markets are not profitable enough for carriers to expand into. It was one of the reasons the Obama era net neutrality rules got shitcanned. They killed expansion into rural and low income urban areas where providers are often mom and pop scale businesses that 1) could not afford the added compliance reporting costs and 2) could not afford the expense of having mandated delivery speeds to all its customers since a tree or building between a customer and the tower could greatly diminish speeds.

Perhaps I don't know enough about it since I use cable television, but doesn't the dish networks have internet capability through the dish? I thought they did. And a dish doesn't cost any more in rural country than it does in the city.

 

[francoHFW]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Rural and small markets are not profitable enough for carriers to expand into. It was one of the reasons the Obama era net neutrality rules got shitcanned. They killed expansion into rural and low income urban areas where providers are often mom and pop scale businesses that 1) could not afford the added compliance reporting costs and 2) could not afford the expense of having mandated delivery speeds to all its customers since a tree or building between a customer and the tower could greatly diminish speeds.

Sure, dupes, we are the richest country in the world and the only rich country with crap broadband. In Europe it costs $7 to $15 a month, here 45 to 70....we are falling behind in everything thanks to GOP tax giveaway to the rich. In a million ways.

 

[percysunshine]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Ma Bell.

 

[percysunshine]

We will benefit if we only have a government run pony express.

 

[impuretrash]

Heaven forbid if tax dollars are spend on Americans instead of foreigners.

 

[Dekster]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Rural and small markets are not profitable enough for carriers to expand into. It was one of the reasons the Obama era net neutrality rules got shitcanned. They killed expansion into rural and low income urban areas where providers are often mom and pop scale businesses that 1) could not afford the added compliance reporting costs and 2) could not afford the expense of having mandated delivery speeds to all its customers since a tree or building between a customer and the tower could greatly diminish speeds.

Perhaps I don't know enough about it since I use cable television, but doesn't the dish networks have internet capability through the dish? I thought they did. And a dish doesn't cost any more in rural country than it does in the city.

To an extent but I think 25M is about the most you will get through it.

 

[Moonglow]

Don't you guys in town pay a tax on your landline or internet use that is for support of rural infrastructure?

 

[Stormy Daniels]

Yeah, well the Amish live exactly that way: no running water or electricity, and they do just fine. It's why they live where they live.

Nobody said anything about connecting internet for the Amish. But thank you for demonstrating your failed idea of how America should retain it's dominance in the world. Personally, I'm of the mindset that China and other powerful nations will leave us in the dust if we settle for being at the cutting edge of horse and buggy technology.

 

[ThisIsMe]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

I dont think this program is for providing people with internet access, I think it's a program to help broadband companies build infrastructure in rural areas.

I believe the customers will still have to subscribe to the service.

Yeah, it's not the governments job to be helping private businesses build their companies, especially these broadband companies who have been unregulated for so long, are able to monopolize entire cities, and have been raising their rates to ridiculous levels over the years.

 

[Dragonlady]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Because there isn't enough business to make it profitable for the private sector to do it and lack of high speed internet is a problem for businesses. I lived in an area where live streaming was impossible. If you live out in the woods, satellite connections are iffy, at best. It's a problem for businesses, and if there isn't high speed internet available, businesses will not locate plants or manufactuing in these areas.

This is the problem with relying on private economics. There are areas of the US which have no access to internet, no running water and no electricity. There is absolutely zero chance of businesses wanting to open in these areas. One of the most common reasons why companies resist opening plants in the US, is the lack of infrastructure in many parts of the country. Trump said he would fix this. So far, crickets. But he's gotta have that wall.

 

[ThisIsMe]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Because the Federal government has resources state and local jurisdictions do not.

Because such projects benefit rural states and jurisdictions, benefitting local economies, and in turn benefitting the Nation as a whole.

And because Americans pay income taxes for these services.

That's not what our federal tax dollars are for. Our federal tax dollars are for the military, roads, etc. There is no reason the government should be using taxpayer money to help broadband companies build their business.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Yeah, well the Amish live exactly that way: no running water or electricity, and they do just fine. It's why they live where they live.

Nobody said anything about connecting internet for the Amish. But thank you for demonstrating your failed idea of how America should retain it's dominance in the world. Personally, I'm of the mindset that China and other powerful nations will leave us in the dust if we settle for being at the cutting edge of horse and buggy technology.

It's you that tried to make the point of running water and electricity, not me. I just commented on it.

We will be left in the dust because some people want to live out in God's country without every latest technology in the country?

Most everybody in the sticks have access to cell phones, satellite radio, satellite television, nobody is left behind.

Government doesn't need to fund this because it's not a necessity like you leftists try to make everything to be. We're not talking about people starving here, we're talking about people who would rather sit on their front porch reading the Holy Bible than be on Amazon buying new pots and pans.

 

[Dekster]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Rural and small markets are not profitable enough for carriers to expand into. It was one of the reasons the Obama era net neutrality rules got shitcanned. They killed expansion into rural and low income urban areas where providers are often mom and pop scale businesses that 1) could not afford the added compliance reporting costs and 2) could not afford the expense of having mandated delivery speeds to all its customers since a tree or building between a customer and the tower could greatly diminish speeds.

Sure, dupes, we are the richest country in the world and the only rich country with crap broadband. In Europe it costs $7 to $15 a month, here 45 to 70....we are falling behind in everything thanks to GOP tax giveaway to the rich. In a million ways.

Has nothing to do with US tax policy. European nations have enacted local loop unbundling to allow anybody who wants to provide internet have access to the existing telcom infrastructure put in place by other providers. It would comparable of forcing Comcast to allow DeksterConnect to sell you internet service over comcast cable lines that comcast pays for and maintains.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Because there isn't enough business to make it profitable for the private sector to do it and lack of high speed internet is a problem for businesses. I lived in an area where live streaming was impossible. If you live out in the woods, satellite connections are iffy, at best. It's a problem for businesses, and if there isn't high speed internet available, businesses will not locate plants or manufactuing in these areas.

This is the problem with relying on private economics. There are areas of the US which have no access to internet, no running water and no electricity. There is absolutely zero chance of businesses wanting to open in these areas. One of the most common reasons why companies resist opening plants in the US, is the lack of infrastructure in many parts of the country. Trump said he would fix this. So far, crickets. But he's gotta have that wall.

Then I guess my job is a delusion. I make deliveries and pickups to plenty of companies out in the sticks. They do just fine. In fact one company we deliver to just moved out of the city and into farm country. Discussing the move with one of the workers I always talked to, he said the rent they were paying at their city building was 12K a month. Where they are at now, it's 3K a month. Plus the property taxes are one tenth of what they were paying in the city.

Because people in those farm areas have a much lower cost of living than people in the city, they also work for less money and the company has an easier time finding willing labor. They also don't suffer constant city regulations and changes that affect a company.

 

[ThisIsMe]

The internet is a vital piece of national infrastructure in this day and age.

You don't move out to the sticks to be part of the newest trends and technology. Just like you don't move downtown of a city for peace and quiet.

Cool story, bro. I'm sure you'd love it if we left these people without electricity or running water while we're at it. In the meantime, I think it's not the worst idea to get them a decent internet connection. Being out there in the sticks they could use some online shopping so they can order supplies and have them delivered to their homes, instead of having to take a canoe into town once a month.

Nobody is saying they shouldn't have high speed internet, what they are saying is, it's not the governments job to help broadband companies expand their business.

I really cant believe lefties are supporting the government handing cash to major corporations. Are we in reverse world???

These broadband companies have been fleecing the Americans for many many years, charging extremely high rates for a product that is inferior to what you can get in many parts of the world.

They've made enough money off of us, they can spend their own money if they want to expand their market.

 

[francoHFW]

USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program

These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service.

Why is this the job of the Fed Govt?????

Rural and small markets are not profitable enough for carriers to expand into. It was one of the reasons the Obama era net neutrality rules got shitcanned. They killed expansion into rural and low income urban areas where providers are often mom and pop scale businesses that 1) could not afford the added compliance reporting costs and 2) could not afford the expense of having mandated delivery speeds to all its customers since a tree or building between a customer and the tower could greatly diminish speeds.

Sure, dupes, we are the richest country in the world and the only rich country with crap broadband. In Europe it costs $7 to $15 a month, here 45 to 70....we are falling behind in everything thanks to GOP tax giveaway to the rich. In a million ways.

Has nothing to do with US tax policy. European nations have enacted local loop unbundling to allow anybody who wants to provide internet have access to the existing telcom infrastructure put in place by other providers. It would comparable of forcing Comcast to allow DeksterConnect to sell you internet service over comcast cable lines that comcast pays for and maintains.

Sounds like a plan. And vice-versa of course.and I'm sure with government help. It's called Good government instead of give away to the rich like we have. We have the worst infrastructure roads Bridges etcetera. Reagan cut infrastructure spending by half and it still like that. Brilliant GOP idea. Public Colleges no longer deal n crap minimum wage no Health Care daycare etc etc. You people are morons.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

The internet is a vital piece of national infrastructure in this day and age.

You don't move out to the sticks to be part of the newest trends and technology. Just like you don't move downtown of a city for peace and quiet.

Cool story, bro. I'm sure you'd love it if we left these people without electricity or running water while we're at it. In the meantime, I think it's not the worst idea to get them a decent internet connection. Being out there in the sticks they could use some online shopping so they can order supplies and have them delivered to their homes, instead of having to take a canoe into town once a month.

Nobody is saying they shouldn't have high speed internet, what they are saying is, it's not the governments job to help broadband companies expand their business.

I really cant believe lefties are supporting the government handing cash to major corporations. Are we in reverse world???

These broadband companies have been fleecing the Americans for many many years, charging extremely high rates for a product that is inferior to what you can get in many parts of the world.

They've made enough money off of us, they can spend their own money if they want to expand their market.

It's simply the leftist mentality. They believe that because they want to live a certain way, everybody should live the same way whether they want to or not.

People in rural areas never complained about not having the most modern conveniences because they don't want to live that way.

I deliver to a place in Kent, Ohio. Just before you get to Kent State University, the state route takes you through the Twin Lakes. It's absolutely gorgeous there, and I always fantasized that if I ever hit the lottery, I would buy one of those places on the peaceful lake.

It's not rural America, but it's wooded and certainly not in the city. Anyway I asked one of the workers out there if they have any city people buying in the area by the lakes, and how he felt about it?

He said "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but yes, we have city people who move here, and we hate it. Don't get me wrong, nice people and all, but they move here with their big city ideas and want to change what we have! They start talking about more parking lots, developments, shopping centers and so on. Look......we don't want that here. If you want that, don't come here. Stay in your city!"

I wasn't offended at all, in fact I agreed with him 100%