Cable's broadband networks are delivering high-speed broadband connectivity to every corner of America, and this includes rural and hard-to-reach areas on the map. As they continue to build out infrastructure to reach as many Americans as possible, and with a myriad of broadband deployment projects and federal funds on the horizon, it's important to hear from the broadband leaders on the ground to better understand why broadband access for rural areas is so critical.
Insights From an American Broadband Leader: In a Q&A with NCTA, Ben Dold, Midco's Chief Operating Officer, shared his thoughts on the impact connectivity can have on a rural community. Midco serves over 490,000 homes and businesses across Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, and the majority of their footprint are made up of rural communities, with some towns with populations less than 100 and where grain silos and water towers are prevalent.
Broadband Spurs Growth
When asked how broadband service enables rural communities to thrive, Dold responded that broadband is a key ingredient to their success.
- "As you look at growing communities as we have here in South Dakota, they're continuing to expand, bring in new residences and attract new businesses. Broadband is critical to that success."
- "When developers are putting up new homes, residents first ask, 'What's the internet like?' When businesses are looking to relocate to a new community, they ask, 'Do you have fiber? What's connectivity like? Can my employees move here and have a great experience with broadband as well?'"
- "[Broadband] really spurs all of that growth and is a key underlying component of the broader infrastructure and development.”
As the United States targets efforts to close the digital divide, cable providers continue to do their part by building out high-speed networks throughout the country, including in some of the most remote and rural regions of America, to ensure that every last person has access to this critical opportunity infrastructure.