Missouri ranks 34th in the nation for broadband coverage and speed, with more than 330,000 residents lacking broadband access, but now, agencies hope federal funds coming into the state will help.
Missouri is set to receive at least $100 million to build out broadband from the bipartisan infrastructure law.
Paul Eisenstein, director for strategy and performance for the Missouri Department of Economic Development, said so much is being done online since the pandemic began, including work, school, telemedicine, public hearings and so on, it is important to ensure technical assistance is available.
“On the adoption side, this is really around digital literacy and making sure that Missourians have the skills to really connect to our digital economy,” Eisenstein asserted.
The infrastructure funding added to the $400 million dollars Gov. Mike Parson had already planned to use from the American Rescue Plan for broadband buildout. More than a quarter of Missouri residents will also be eligible for a program helping low-income households pay for service.
According to Pew Research Center, just over 70% of people living in rural areas have a broadband connection at home, and white adults are more likely to have access, and to own a home desktop or laptop computer.
Eisenstein argued it is especially important to get funding to underserved areas of the state.
“You also may see some efforts around cell phone towers, especially in areas where maybe fiber to the home isn’t an option,” Eisenstein outlined. “There might be an opportunity to build or to retrofit cell towers on public lands so that no matter where you are, where you work or where you live, you have access to high-quality internet.”
The U.S. ranks 27th in the world for access to high-speed internet, according to the consulting firm Kepios, and ‘speedtest.net’ ranks the U.S. 14th in the world for the speed of mobile and broadband connections.
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