Rural businesses in Missouri struggle to get up to speed on high speed internet

Across Missouri there are pockets of rural communities that do not have stable access to high-speed broadband internet, leaving them disconnected and technologically behind urban areas 20 minutes away. And Internet connectivity is now a necessity for small businesses. The lack of broadband in Missouri is a critical infrastructure crisis, according to Tim Arbeiter, director of the Office of Broadband Development. Close to 1.2 million Missourians don’t have access to high-speed internet in their area, Arbeiter said. In small towns like Chamois in Osage County, business owners rely on their neighbors for support.