I’m just back from a visit to Italy to see my oldest daughter. She’s spending a semester studying abroad. One of the amazing things about our world is how connected we are and how that connection continues to expand. While I was traveling, I was on a global network that enabled me to stay in touch with work. I was able to exchange emails with staff and members – other than the 6+ hour time difference – it allowed me to have real time interaction so that I could stay on top of some of the fast moving issues we have on our plate and still see my daughter! It also demonstrated for me, once again, how important it is for our rural communities to have the global connections that will enable them to be competitive worldwide, enjoy education and informational opportunities online and have access to telemedicine that saves lives. It also really struck me that in spite of all the hype on where the USA ranks in the world on broadband access, our communications system really is a seamless, competitive environment and thanks to USF and other support mechanisms, has done an amazing job of bringing services to communities that internationally, would likely go unserved. NTCA members are the ones who bring rural consumers these opportunities. Your voice and experiences are critical to the debate. Together we will help rural America stay connected to the world. For now, I’m just waiting to see what those international roaming and data rates look like on my next bill!
