Rural Wireless Broadband

Senator Schumer is on the case:

In light of the rapid growth of wireless Internet access in major cities across the country, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer Wednesday announced a new plan to bring wireless high-speed Internet access to homes, businesses and communities across upstate New York.

New York ranks 31st among all 50 states in percentage of households with an Internet connection. Dozens of communities across upstate are looking to create Wi-Fi networks in public places, and even, covering the entire region. Schumer’s plan includes creating a federal resource for communities looking to create wireless networks and tax incentives for individuals and businesses that purchase broadband or Wi-Fi equipment.

“In an economy that is increasingly reliant on high-speed Internet, not having high-speed Internet access is like not having air to breathe,” Schumer said during a telephone news conference. “With broadband technology the lifeblood of the new economy, it is more important than ever to bring high-speed access to rural and underserved communities. Wireless networks will connect upstate New York communities large and small in to the 21st century economy and attract new types of business. Wireless and broadband high-speed Internet access will become the hallmark of the 21st century, which is why we must work to close the digital divide throughout the state and in upstate New York in particular.”
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According to an analysis done by ECC Associates, a Internet consulting firm located in the Southern Tier, roughly 12 percent of homes in New York could not have access to a broadband connection, meaning they could not get high-speed service (except for expensive satellite service) if they wanted. According to FCC data, there are 2,833,478 residences in New York connected to high-speed Internet lines.
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Right now, most wireless “hot spots” are limited to chain restaurants, coffee shops and hotels (McDonalds, Starbucks and Best Western provide Wi-Fi access). However, some local governments across upstate New York, as large as Buffalo and Rochester and as small as Tivoli and Oneonta, have contracted with private companies to create wider-scoped networks to cover public places and entire communities.
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The plan seeks to create a comprehensive federal resource for communities looking to start Wi-Fi networks by establishing a series of federal standards and best practices for creating wireless networks so communities who want to create these networks can navigate through any potential problems and can create a system that suits their needs. Schumer is also pushing the bi-partisan Broadband Tax Enhancement Act, led by Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, which passed the Senate Finance Committee last week. The legislation would permit individuals and businesses to deduct from their taxable income costs associated with the installation and connection of broadband and wireless networks in rural or underserved areas. The third part of the plan seeks federal funding to expand broadband in rural and underserved communities. Schumer announced that he is going to offer an amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill that would increase by $50 million funding for the Rural Development Broadband Loan and Loan Guarantee Program.