Public-private partnerships will close rural broadband gap

As America prepares to retire the public telephone network that served us so well for nearly 100 years, we need to take stock of the new Internet-oriented broadband voice, video and data networks that have taken its place. In the past decade, broadband has made tremendous progress: in 2000, broadband services were almost unknown, used by less than 5 percent of Americans. Broadband now reaches more than 90 percent of U.S. households with wire-based services, 96 percent with wireless, and virtually 100 percent by satellite.

By RICHARD BENNETT

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