COVID-19 lockdowns expose the digital have-nots in rural areas – here’s which policies can get them connected
The current public health emergency has shown just how critical adequate and affordable broadband infrastructure is for communities and individuals trying to work, access health care and attempt to teach kids from home.
Yet over one-fifth of rural Americans lack access to broadband, while some estimates suggest that figure could be much higher.
The problem has spurred many state governments to take an active role in trying to connect more rural communities to high-speed internet, whether it’s by incentivizing providers to serve rural areas or creating dedicated offices aimed at helping more people get online.
As part of our ongoing research on how broadband access affects economic development, we conducted a study that examined which of these state policies are actually working.
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