Even as we push for better broadband in the city of Lawrence, our community is bigger than that.  People in rural areas have a tough time.  They’re stuck using mobile hotspots that have severe data limits or expensive satellite connections. These don’t always work, especially if you live on a large property.

Microsoft is coming to the rescue here.  Mashable reports on the Rural Airband Initiative.   They’ll be working in Scott County over in Southwest Kansas to bring faster internet to them.  Maybe if we ask nicely, they’ll try it on the other side of the state.

Until then people face an unfair choice of expensive, unreliable, and sometimes inaccessible internet … or move to the city.  Internet access is as essential as water or electricity today and shouldn’t be dependent on where you live.

We have the technology and resources; we just haven’t made it a priority.  That’s where citizens like us need to lobby to make the change.

Photo by Kalexanderson