The best evidence of the concern over the digital divide was the speed with which the federal government interceded to help close it. A program offering generous subsidies to schools and libraries for the purchase of Internet technology was made part of the massive overhaul of the Telecommunications Act in 1996. The subsidies were apportioned on a…

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has provisions covering telephone service, telecommunications equipment manufacturing, cable television, radio and television broadcasting, and the Internet and on-line computer services. Most critical for rural areas are universal service provisions that ensure reasonably priced services to all regions and…

This first article in a series on telecommunications in rural America provides an overview of several key telecommunication issues facing rural regions. High speed data services known as broadband have the potential to make rural areas less isolated and improve the rural quality of life, but physical barriers, sparse population density, and few…

With the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the pace of regulatory change related to telecommunications increased exponentially. The impact on rural areas is significant; the issues specific to southern states and communities are unique. This paper begins with a chapter on the importance of telecommunications technology to rural…