No Broadband

As most of you know, I was trying to get Broadband internet service for the Lesterville area from the FERC fine funds. Ameren said that since they did not own the power lines in the area and because of the low population density that it was not economically possible for them to get involved in my proposal. No other Broadband alternative was considered, so the proposal is dead.

I'll make a prediction, barring some new technology, I'll bet that ten years from now that most of rural Missouri is still on dial-up. The vision I have of the future is rural Missourians hoarding old modems, because no one makes modems anymore. When you buy a new computer right now, they don't come with floppy drives unless you pay extra for one. I'm sure it is only a matter of time until a modem won't be included with a new computer, the numbers just won't justify it.

Missouri is a low tax / low service state and proud of it. Other states have seen the value of encouraging the state wide roll out of Broadband, but I don't think you will see that kind of leadership in this state. When was the last time you saw a big company come to Missouri and build a really big operation. I have family that live in Mississippi, a state that is usually 50th on any list, and when I go for a visit I pass a new Nissan plant that goes for miles along I55. But in Missouri we only hear about plant closings.

I know that having Broadband in Reynolds County would not bring new jobs to the area, but I think it could have allowed some enterprising local folks to venture into cyberspace with a money making idea. Yesterday I started working on my 2006 taxes and I needed to download additional files from TurboTax. It took two hours to get the files. So I'll continue to use the net for news and email, but that's about the limit of what is possible. Once again, no grand vision.