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Sierra Tel fears FCC's 'digital divide'

Brian Wilkinson

(Updated: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 5:16 PM)

Sierra Telephone supports a Federal Communications Commission National Broadband Plan to deliver high speed Internet service to rural areas, but company officials have a grave concern over one aspect of the plan.

"The goal of the plan is to provide 100 million American households with access to 100 megabits per second connections, but the proposed FCC broadband funding will only support up to 4 megabits in rural areas like Eastern Madera County," said Sherry Colgate, Sierra Telephone communications manager, in a company press release. "This would potentially create a 'digital divide' between rural and urban areas and not provide the bandwidth needed in rural areas for education, health care, public safety and economic development. We believe this is neither realistic nor acceptable."

Implementing the plan, which was unveiled in March, will not provide rural Americans with adequate broadband service, said Colgate.

"Our fear is that rural communities will fall behind in terms of economic development, public safety educational opportunities, advances in health care and job creation without the availability of faster Internet service."

The company has launched a public awareness campaign about the inadequacy of the proposed plan and is asking the public to send letters to state and federal legislators.

"The proposal, as currently written, will negatively affect rural areas all across America," said Dan Rule, Sierra Telephone business development manager. "We are getting a good response and support from businesses and individuals in our service area."

"If the plan proceeds in the way it is currently written with regard to the speed of the Internet, rural communities will be left behind," said Linda Burton, regulatory manager for Sierra Telephone.

Detailed information about the plan and letter-writing instructions are available online at sierratelephone.com and sti.net. The deadline for letters is Aug. 5.

"Sierra Telephone believes that broadband deployment is a key economic development driver critical to our communities and we are committed to offering our customers the highest level of communications services," Colgate said.

Sierra Telephone and its affiliate Sierra Tel Internet can already provide Internet service greater than 4 megabits to most of its customers.

"If we are trying to 'build a world-class broadband network for the future' like the proposal states, and make rural America competitive with the rest of the world, it makes little sense to settle for only 4 megabites of speed," said Colgate. "Community development and retention will become infinitely more challenging for rural areas that can offer only a second-class broadband speed connection."

Colgate urged the public to contact congressional representatives by the Aug. 5 deadline.

"Area residents can customize their letter and fax it themselves or, if they prefer, e-mail it to nbp@sti.net, or drop it off at the Sierra Telephone business office and we will be happy to send it," Colgate said.

Details: sierratelephone.com, sti.net.