Internet access is becoming more and more of the way people find employment, and sometimes work after they find a job, study at college, do banking, pay bills, and access medical information.
Yet, nearly 23 million Americans don't have Internet broadband access, according to the Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA).
In a report, Microsoft outlined strategies to bring services to these people by 2022. Besides funding and working in innovative and cost-efficient technology, that company believes public-private partnerships are the key to getting the job done. CFRA said that people without Internet will have to be active in and follow state and local Internet activities and discussions.
With broadband Internet use rising rapidly, and in some cases, becoming indispensable, the lack of access for many is a problem. It is not always just a lack of access, either. In many areas, there is access, but remove slow, or in some cases very limited.
The actual figures are difficult to assess, but there are estimates of Internet access.
According to information from the Wireless Broadband Alliance and IHS Markit, about 23 percent of urban Americans and 28 percent of rural Americans are estimated to be without Internet access or be unable to afford "broadband connectivity."
"Rural residents need to draw attention to the limitations that slow or non-existent Internet speeds impose upon access to everyday educational and economic opportunities for Americans," Jordan Rasmussen, of CFRA, said.
He commented that it will take all working together to expand the access in rural communities.
In Missouri, the estimation is that only about 40 percent of rural Missourians have Internet broadband access, according to data requested by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on its efforts to support rural broadband in Missouri and across the country. The USDA gives grants, loans and other support to promote rural broadband, but it has not submitted required information to Congress that would allow for important Congressional oversight.
McCaskill has been a leading voice in the U.S. Senate for improving access to affordable, reliable forms of communication in small towns and rural communities. In September, McCaskill called for Verizon to reverse its plan to drop nearly 8,500 rural customers nationally-including approximately 400 Missourians-from access to wireless broadband service within 30 days, Verizon announced it will allow affected customers who want to stay with Verizon to do so after changing service plans, and allow more time for those who wish to leave the carrier altogether to do so.
In central Missouri, local providers are seeking to address the problem. CO-MO Connect, part of the Co-Mo Electric Cooperative in Tipton, is working on extending service to those in its customer service area. CenturyLink, Socket and Mediacom are among the providers that offer Internet at speeds of 1-gigabyte-per-second in Jefferson City. Columbia-based telecom company Socket offers Internet, TV and phone services for residential customers and Internet and phone services for businesses.
Last week Socket crews added fiber optic cables in downtown Jefferson City because a business client wanted high-speed Internet service from Socket. Over the past few years years, Socket created its fiber-optic network in a piecemeal fashion.
Additions built to serve clients, like the one in downtown Jefferson City, allow the company to serve others in the area not originally targeted by the addition, according to Socket Marketing Manager Allie Schomaker. Socket discontinued DSL service in August to outlying parts of Jefferson City and surrounding areas including Holts Summit, Lohman and Hartsburg. Eventually, the company hopes to replace those services with high-speed fiber-optics, according to Schomaker.
In the U.S., the difference in Internet access is not as wide as it is in many other countries, according to an article by Rani Molla in an on-line publication recode.net.
"In general, the sheer size of a country as well as its population density are very important factors that determine broadband connectivity," Molla said. "In mature markets like the U.S. and in Europe, Internet cost is a major barrier in urban areas while rural areas are blighted by a lack of available technology."
Of the world's largest economies, the United Kingdom has the smallest difference with somewhere around 12 percent of urban residents and 14 percent of rural residents lacking available high speed broadband Internet service, Molla said. In contrast, in India just over 31 percent of urbanites and 87 percent of rural people are without or can't afford broadband Internet access.
Generally, the size of a country, as well as the density of population, determine broadband connectivity. In "mature markets" such as the U.S. and Europe, the cost of Internet poses a major barrier for urban areas. In rural areas, the problem is that they lack available technology. Generally the population of urban people who aren't connected to the Internet is less than those in rural populations.