INTERNET PROVIDERS SAY WV WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR RURAL ACCESS

(09/10/2008)

Politicians have worn out phrases in promising 21st Century technology to every citizen. There are huge areas of West Virginia, mostly rural, where broadband is not available, and nothing is in sight. If the state wants to expand broadband services they may have to help pay for it, according to representatives from four Internet service providers. They spoke to WV legislators yesterday during interim meetings at Bridgeport. Representatives of Verizon, CityNet, Frontier Communications, and Time Warner Cable said they've reached all but a small percentage of the Mountain State's population. That population is rural. They said extending infrastructure to the remaining rural areas may be cost prohibitive without government subsidies. They also complained they are taxed too high.

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