From Rural Divides to Local Solutions

A photo essay that is part of a 10-city tour to surface America's persistent digital divide. 

The expansion of TV White Spaces as a potential solution to close the digital divide in rural areas will require more unlicensed and available mid-band spectrum, which has become quite scarce among providers. More access to fiber will be necessary to make these networks effective. Further, how we serve the “edge of the edges,” and especially those rural areas and local broadband companies that do not qualify for streamlined funding will need to be creatively addressed.

Another takeaway that should resonate from this narrative of Garrett County (MD) is that public-private sector partnerships matter. Relaxing some of the burdensome requirements on small to mid-sized telecommunications providers to compete in national programs should be part of the process to wire disconnected, rural communities, especially when the business case fails to compel other investments.