Midco's Commitment to Connecting Students During the Pandemic
"Midco will do what it takes." These are the words that Rupak Gandhi, school superintendent in Fargo, N.D., said he heard Midco representatives repeat to him again and again when his district turned to the ISP for help this past spring. Back in March, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools across the country including in North Dakota, Gandhi's district faced the challenge of getting every student ready for remote instruction, with every decision dependent on students having an internet connection in their homes. The school district of Fargo is the second largest in North Dakota and
Why Internet is Essential to America’s Agriculture
While many might associate business and technology with large urban hubs like Silicon Valley, small towns across the U.S. are showing that there are plenty of opportunities to be found in rural America. The availability of gigabit internet speeds is one method that is proving to transform rural areas. As America's cable operators continue to build out robust networks that deliver these gigabit internet speeds, everyone from entrepreneurs to small business owners to farmers are getting the chance to revitalize their communities in the best ways possible. In NCTA's video series, Connecting Rural
How Super-Fast Internet Revitalized Small Businesses in a Small Town
Over time, many Americans have moved to large urban centers to follow jobs, often in the technology sector, leaving smaller towns behind. For a place like St. Francis in northwestern Kansas, that meant the population was actually shrinking. On top of that, internet service was slow and unreliable. “We had a lot of problems just maintaining a stream of music in here which would cut out and just disappear,” said Kale Dankenbring, who had moved back to St. Francis with his wife to open a coffee shop. His wife, Heidi Plumb added, “Before when people would come in to try to do their work, they’d
How Eagle Unleashed New Opportunities in Rural America
In a small northwestern Kansas town that sits in the middle of miles and miles of farmland, 1,300 people go about their day with access to some of the country's fastest internet speeds. Businesses, schools, the hospital, and local municipalities thrive as access to gigabit internet has completely revitalized the economy and way of life for the people of St. Francis, Kansas. Eagle Communications, a rural provider in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Colorado, teamed up with the town to launch their network after government and business leaders in St. Francis sought out the provider for help in
Six Ways Broadband Leaders are Transforming Rural America
Earlier this week, NCTA, in partnership with the Rural Broadband Caucus, hosted a panel discussion in Washington, DC, where member companies shared programs and initiatives they are implementing to expand high-speed broadband networks, including gigabit service, to underserved areas. "If we're going to make any progress in revitalizing rural America, then broadband is just bottomline essential. It is not a red state/blue state deal," said Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), co-chair of the caucus, in his opening remarks. "It's about making that decision we made in the 1930s when we electrified America
What Cable Operators Are Doing to Close the Digital Divide in Rural America
On Tuesday, NCTA in cooperation with the Rural Broadband Caucus will gather policymakers and stakeholders to discuss the successful strategies and projects that cable operators are using to close the digital divide in rural America. There isn't a more critical time to hold this conversation than the present. While most American households can access a broadband connection, six percent of all Americans and 26 percent in rural America remain unconnected to high internet speeds (25 Mbps or more) and are missing out on the promises and benefits the internet offers. Extending robust broadband
Midco: Making a Difference in Rural America Through Broadband Investment
Today, Midco's Senior Director of Government Relations Justin Forde will testify before the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology on strides the ISP has made in delivering broadband to rural America, and the critical work that must be done at the federal level to shrink the digital divide in America. Midco is one of America's leaders when it comes to bringing rural America up to speed. The ISP reaches more than 400,000 customers in 400 communities throughout South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas, and Wisconsin, some of which have populations of fewer than 100 people. The
America's ISPs Are Bringing Rural America Up to Speed
Tomorrow, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold a hearing to explore the opportunities and challenges of deploying broadband in rural America. This is an issue that America's cable broadband providers are currently tackling, and a critical discussion that will explore creative ways to continue connecting every community. The conversation is also a timely one in light of recent discussions concerning the Farm Bill reauthorization and how broadband funds should be administered by the USDA Rural Utilities Service in order to be most effective in helping to bring
Connecting Rural America Through Fixed Wireless Technology
In places where there are more livestock than people and where miles of land separate one household from the next, finding an internet connection can sometimes be challenging. The length of time it would take and the amount it would cost to build a fiber network in certain remote regions can make it nearly impossible to bring high-speed fiber connections to rural areas. But America's internet service providers have been working towards innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide. Some of NCTA's members have begun to explore fixed wireless connectivity as an option to connect customers in
Reaching the Last Mile: Hearing on Rural Broadband Examines Solutions to Closing the Digital Divide
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives holds an important hearing to discuss the challenges and benefits of rolling out broadband to rural regions across the country in order to reach communities that are currently affected by the digital divide. We applaud members of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology for opening up a dialogue that brings to the table innovative broadband solutions and approaches to connect more Americans. As we have seen, high-speed and reliable connectivity is the key to improving a community's economic vitality, education, healthcare, and growth, and rural
