The Digital Divide in Marathon County

Link to July 18 Wausau Daily Herald article, "Digital divide persists in rural communities".

Excerpt: As the owner of a construction company and a classic car buff, Corey Westfall knows the Internet could open up his town of Halsey workshop to the world. The thing is, it's tough to imagine all the possibilities when e-mailing and uploading pictures can take hours on his dial-up connection.

"Mostly, I'd just like to do something in 10 minutes or a half-hour," Westfall, 38, said.

Westfall is one of a still-unknown number of rural Marathon County residents whose Internet access is slow or unreliable, a handicap in a changing world and struggling economy. Statewide, nearly 60 percent of residents and 43 percent of businesses don't have broadband Internet service,[RG emphasis] according to a recent survey by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin aimed at securing federal stimulus money.

The article neglects to point out that public libraries have become community hubs for high-speed Internet access. That being said, travel to a library, waits during periods of peak use, and limits on computer time are inconveniences for rural business owners.