Because of its many forests, farms and far-flung locales, rural Pennsylvania residents are still using archaic dial-up connections because wireless companies don’t have enough customers to build nearby. You could say they are stuck where cabin fever meets carbon fiber.
This week, U.S. rep Chris Carney (D-10) announced a $36.4 million stimulus grant that will bring high-speed internet back to the people of rural Pennsylvania. Carney partnered with Keystone Wireless, known for serving rural clients in Lycoming, Union and other small, central counties, to expand wireless infrastructure and offer 3G broadband service. In a statement following the award, Carney stated his belief in the importance of rural broadband access.
“Right now, the biggest telecommunications challenge facing rural America is access to broadband Internet,” Carney said. “Universal broadband access is critical to strengthening rural communities and fueling economic development throughout rural America.”
The funding comes to PA through a concerted effort throughout the country to connect rural communities to technology services. Communication infrastructure was one of the deliverables outlined in the Obama administration’s $787 billion stimulus bill, passed in 2009. Started as a team of shareholders who purchased Immix Wireless eight years ago, Keystone Wireless, whose existing 10-county, 2G network was created to serve more rural counties of central PA, was a natural fit for this program. With a fully optimized 3G broadband network in place, the company can more effectively serve its customers and fulfill its mission of connecting rural to urban through technology.
“Since we started, we’ve been operating retail stores in Central Pennsylvania and serving customers here,” says Vice President Kim Caronchi. “The company maintains a philosophy of bringing technology to rural America. We believe that people who live in rural America deserve just as much access to technology as people who live in large metropolitan areas.”
Source: Kim Caronchi, Keystone Wireless
Writer: John Steele