Delta Residents Demand ‘Equitable Broadband Access for All’ Mississippi Communities
Mississippi Delta communities deserve equitable broadband access and transparency in federal grant spending, residents say.
Mississippi Delta communities deserve equitable broadband access and transparency in federal grant spending, residents say.
Broadband internet could soon become accessible to more Mississippians after the President Joe Biden announced on Monday that the state is receiving $1.2 billion for high-speed internet infrastructure across the state through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.
FASTnet, a for-profit subsidiary of the not-for-profit 4-County Electric Power Association, is providing broadband service to rural areas around the Golden Triangle area of Mississippi. COVID-19 magnified the disparities many Black families faced with little or no reliable internet access as they tried to continue their children’s education from home. Federal dollars should now boost the cooperative solution across Mississippi, barring roadblocks.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Joe Biden on Nov. 15, 2021, differs from past infrastructure investments not only in its size but also its emphasis on addressing long-standing and persistent racial injustice. This major investment comes at a time when smart-city initiatives, which aim to use technology to make cities more responsive to their residents’ needs, are growing more common around the world.
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