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Digital Divide: Community Wireless Resources

One of the most compelling aspects of wireless broadband technology is its potential to bring affordable high-speed Internet access to communities, both rural and urban, where there have been no affordable alternatives before.

This section will explore the issue that has been termed the "Digital Divide," where humanity becomes divided into those who have acccess to digital technologies, and those who don't. What is the role of government to provide for those who lack what is becoming a vital resource?

The Center for Neighborhood Technology has an answer to that question. Government should step up and provide help. The website Wireless Community Networks describes what this group is doing in the city of Chicago.

This recently launched website, Community Internet takes the position that high-speed access to the Internet is a community resource that should be available to all at an affordable price - not unlike the position taken with voice telphony when federal and state regualtors promoted Universal Service, creating a fund to ensure that everyone could have a telephone. We're not there yet with wireless broadband, but this group, also in America's heartland, is pushing in that direction.

Posted on May 25, 2005 at 04:24 PM

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