Here is a study that indicates that smaller communities with the right broadband infrastructure are "...emerging as major economic centers." What about your community? Does it have the infrastructure to attract new businesses?
I can see this being a factor. I know a lot of people who look at broadband access when they're finding a place to live. Most companies now have major needs for high-speed internet access between multiple offices so work can be done by people throughout a company, rather than just in a local office. Plus, with large digital files needing to be transferred on a regular basis via e-mail or FTP services, not having good broadband can be a problem. For smaller localities, it seems easier to upgrade the existing infrastructure and provide high-quality high-speed services, rather than what it would take to upgrade a large metro area. Not to mention quality of life issues being in many cases better on smaller towns, like lower crime rates, less traffic, and lower cost of living.
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Mon, 02/28/2011 - 13:00
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I can see this being a
I can see this being a factor. I know a lot of people who look at broadband access when they're finding a place to live. Most companies now have major needs for high-speed internet access between multiple offices so work can be done by people throughout a company, rather than just in a local office. Plus, with large digital files needing to be transferred on a regular basis via e-mail or FTP services, not having good broadband can be a problem. For smaller localities, it seems easier to upgrade the existing infrastructure and provide high-quality high-speed services, rather than what it would take to upgrade a large metro area. Not to mention quality of life issues being in many cases better on smaller towns, like lower crime rates, less traffic, and lower cost of living.