Ohio initiative addresses digital divide in Appalachia
Three Ohio communities in economically distressed areas of the Appalachian Mountains will receive community learning centers under the state’s Connecting Rural Ohio Wireless Neighborhood Initiative which is working to address the digital divide.Three Ohio communities in distressed areas in the Appalachian Mountains will receive community learning centers under the state’s Connecting Rural Ohio Wireless Neighborhood Initiative to provide broadband access in economically distressed areas.
We talk a lot about the “digital divide” as what separates the “haves” from the “have-nots” in terms of broadband access. The question in rural and remote areas, like Appalachia, however, is somewhat different than cities where the divide generally has less to do with geography and sparse population than with prohibitive pricing and access to technology. Areas like Applachia are struggling with both the poverty of its residents and the difficulty of deploying service to the mountainous, sparsely populated region. To a large extent those issues are interwoven.
Ohio is addressing the geographical barries by providing satellite access into the targeted communities. It is addressing the eonomic aspect by providing free computers, service and training to residents willing to travel to the learnng centers. The centers will be equipped with six networked computers and a printer and offered to the public at no charge.It will be interesting to the impact of the state’s efforts on life and society in these communities.
The Governor’s Office of Appalachia (GOA) in partnership with OhioStateUniversity, is working under a $45,000 grant from the Appalachian Community and Economic Impact Fund to set up satellite connectivity.
Click here to read the press release.
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