Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
This is the year 2010, and Vermonters from every walk of life understand that it is absurd that in Vermont we still do not have universal, high-quality, affordable broadband service. They understand, as I do, that if business is going to thrive, create jobs and be competitive in the national and global economies we need strong broadband coverage from one end of the state to the other. They also understand that good quality broadband is essential for health care services, education and for the day-to-day needs of Vermonters.
For years there has been a lot of talk about this issue. Now, finally, the good news is that if we get our act together we are in a position to act – and act boldly.
As many Vermonters know our state has recently been awarded, through a very competitive process, more than $170 million in federal stimulus funds with the goal of making sure that every community in the state has affordable, quality, high-speed Internet access within the next few years. At a time when many companies have refused to extend broadband in rural America because they believe their profit margins would be slim or non-existent, this federal help will be, if used effectively, a great step forward for our state. If done properly, these projects will connect virtually all of Vermont ’s homes, schools, hospitals and small businesses with each other and the world. It will bring us roaring into the 21st century and could be a model for all of rural America .
As someone who believes that it is imperative that we invest in our deteriorating infrastructure, and that broadband is an essential part of that infrastructure, I’m extremely excited by these grants and loans, which create enormous opportunities for Vermont. I do want to make sure, however, that the businesses and non-profit entities that have received these substantial federal grants and loans do what they are supposed to do in a timely, cost-effective manner that benefits all Vermonters. I also want to make sure that the people of our state have input into the process and have the opportunity to have their questions and concerns answered. I am sure that there are many questions out there but some that my office has been hearing are: when will my town get broadband, what will the quality be, how much will it cost me?
In order to answer these questions and many others, I will be holding a town meeting on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. in Judd Hall at Vermont Technical College in Randolph. This meeting will give Vermonters an opportunity to learn about a project being developed by the Vermont Telephone Co. (VTel) to bring high-speed wireless broadband into virtually all un-served areas of the state.
Vermonters will have the opportunity to ask questions or make comments about any aspect of the project. The meeting will feature Jonathan Adelstein, the Rural Utilities Service Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which awarded the funds, and Michel Guite, the CEO of VTel, which received the largest broadband grant awarded to Vermont.
As I think we all understand there is an undeniable need to expand broadband in our state. More than one in five Vermonters do not have access to broadband, according to the Vermont Center for Rural Studies; and a report from the U.S Department of Commerce ranks Vermont 35th in the nation for broadband availability. At a time when the world is quickly moving digital, this missing infrastructure places Vermonters at a tremendous disadvantage.
Rural states like Vermont aren’t the only places that need better Internet access. The United States , as a whole, has fallen behind.
There is no reason why America should be ranked 18th in the world in terms of average broadband speed. According to a recent report, we not only trail Japan, South Korea, Canada and parts of Europe, but we’re also falling behind Romania, Slovakia, and Latvia. While we still have a very long way to go, last year’s federal stimulus program could make a huge difference: $7.2 billion will be invested to connect America ’s underserved classrooms and communities with each other and the world.
Vermont is a small state in which local communities and the state and federal governments can work together with the private sector in a productive way. We now have, as a result of this stimulus funding, the opportunity to go from being a state that has lagged behind most of the country, in terms of broadband access, to a national leader. Please join me and your neighbors on Saturday, September 25 in Randolph to help make that vision a reality.
