South Asheville News

Legislation working its way through the General Assembly would provide more broadband access to rural areas, a supporter of the bill said in late-June. 

"Rural internet access was one of my top priorities when I came to the General Assembly, and this bill is certainly a step in the right direct," Rep. Jake Johnson (R-Henderson) said in a Facebook post on June 30. "If rural North Carolina continues to fall behind in internet accessibility, it will have a negative impact on our job market and put our students at a severe disadvantage."

Assces to high-speed connectivity has been a concern for public officials and business owners across the nation as more transactions, communications and sales use digital-based programs. In an op/ed in the Washington Times, Rep. Jason Saine (R-Lincoln) wrote that 58% of rural Americans surveyed in 2018 by the Pew Reserach Center said that lack of high-speed internet access was a problem. 

North Carolina's push to increase high-speed access includes a grant program to support bringing the necessary technology to rural areas and farmers, that use internet-based devices to manage and track their livestock and produce. 

"Our state is very diverse in geography and population density, that means we have to think outside of the box when if comes to how we provide internet access," JOhnson said. "We have to have a healthy mix of traditional methods and new innovative technologies."