Lately, I’ve seen many commentators and public officials paint our nation’s digital divide with a broad brush. “Urban areas have great internet connectivity, and rural areas don’t,” they say. I’m thankful those people are wrong.
I always enjoy taking time at Thanksgiving to look back on the year and appreciate what we have, both personally and at NCTC. We are truly blessed.
I’m thankful we live in a country where we can put so much energy into things like holidays, family get-togethers and football games instead of worrying about clean water or our general safety. Our country may not be perfect, but I’d certainly rather be here than anywhere else.
When I think about where we are, I’m thankful for our community. I appreciate the scenic beauty of our area and the genuine, hardworking and caring people who make up the backbone of the communities we serve.
I’m truly thankful for the team we have at NCTC and the work they do every day to make sure we serve you the best way we can. This year in particular, I appreciate their hard work in building more than 130 miles of fiber and connecting nearly 1,500 new broadband customers.
I’m also thankful for the modern conveniences our network provides. Whether it’s streaming an unlimited catalog of quality entertainment, running a smart home or connecting with loved ones hundreds of miles away, we have amazing technology that previous generations could not have imagined.
It is clear to me that we need to continue telling that story. I’ve seen or heard an oversimplification many times where a political leader or supposed expert talks about the disparity between the wonderful internet service found in urban areas and the primitive connections of rural America. Such a sweeping generalization is simply not accurate.
While it’s true many communities in rural America are suffering from slow broadband speeds as a result of neglect from big corporate internet providers or isolated terrain, the fiber optic connections we offer are world class. And we’re working hard every day to bring those
connections to more people in our region.
There are apartment complexes in Los Angeles and New York stuck on slower internet speeds than those we provide to farmers in our community. Some businesses in Chicago and Seattle do not have the same access to high-speed broadband as small businesses in our service areas.
Broadband has become essential for modern life, and I don’t believe people should have to sacrifice their connectivity just because they want to live in a rural area like ours. That’s why our mission is the same as it’s always been — to connect you with the best technology available today.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to help create such a network in our community, and I’m thankful for the trust you place in NCTC.