One hundred thousand Tennessee homes lack easy access to high-speed Internet, mostly in rural areas. And many of those who could get on the web don’t bother.
In Middle Tennessee, several of the least connected counties are west of Nashville, and have struggled with high or even double-digit unemployment. Meanwhile, roughly a third of households could get online but don’t, says Corey Johns of Connected Tennessee. Johns says a lot of folks just don’t see the need.
“And another barrier is affordability. Folks who can’t afford personal equipment or can’t afford the ongoing monthly broadband service on a month-to-month basis.”
Connected Tennessee is a nonprofit working to study and grow web access. Its data helps steer federal broadband subsidies.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM