04/29/10
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Texas receives $7.2 billion to increase broadband services
Texas agriculture commissioner Todd Staples announced Sunday that $7.2 billion has been given to the state by the federal stimulus funding in order to further broadband access in rural areas, the Standard-Times reported.
With broadband expansion, as many as 173,000 jobs could be created within the state. The funding is intended to help rural schools, libraries and hospitals expand their service. High-speed expansion could also help residents save more than $52 million on healthcare costs with access to more information and better technology.
“We have been working very hard to draw as many federal dollars to Texas as we can to help agriculture and rural folks," Staples told the news provider. "We know having technology will enable rural communities to attract jobs. Local schools are some of the biggest employers in rural Texas, and having the tools that they need to educate our kids will make a tremendous difference.”
While the funds received for this expansion are a result of last year's stimulus plan, the FCC has also recently proposed a national broadband plan that intends to have 100 million homes in the U.S. equipped with high-speed internet.
In January, ArsTechnica.com revealed that the U.S. ranked fifth in internet connectivity worldwide, but 35th in broadband speed.
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