Program Will Improve Rural Areas’ Broadband

Roosevelt County commissioners Gary Macdonald and Gordon Oelkers attended a Montana Association of Counties conference in Helena last week regarding broadband improvements throughout Montana and the nation.

The goal is that all residents will have access to 100 upstream speed and 100 downstream speed through fiber-optic internet. The change is in recognition that broadband usage increasingly depends on fast upstream speeds as much as download speeds as people depend more on two-way simultaneous internet transactions to deliver future Internet applications.

“Unless you have fiber, you don’t have 100/100,” Oelkers said.

According to information received at the conference, 60 percent of Roosevelt County is non-served and 40 percent is described as under- served. Oelkers said that through the infrastructure bill, the country is anticipated to spend $42 billion to improve the nation’s broadband especially in rural areas.

The federal government will pay 75 percent of the costs and the carrier will pay 25 percent of the improvement costs. “It’s a program that is needed,” Oelkers said.

In addition, the Digital Equity Act assists with internet payments for low-income people, veterans and the elderly.