Page 27 - Flathead Beacon // 1.22.13

FLATHEADBEACON.COM
BUSINESS
JANUARY 22, 2014 | 27

new businesses and start-ups that create “Montana is such a rural state that that is not available in the Flathead Val-
in rural areas of the U.S. with high-speed

jobs and propel the state’s economy.
we aren’t going to have the same infra- ley.
Internet access by 2020.
In 2012, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D- structure as an urban area, so that puts At a time when online activity is
John Bemis, market development
Mont., called on the President to encour- us at a disadvantage,” Kathleen McMa- ubiquitous in schools, businesses, hos- manager for CenturyLink, said the com-
age rural broadband Internet access af- hon, who founded the Whiteish-based pitals and local government, McMahon pany has made more than 158 “invest-
ter the Federal Communications Com- Applied Communications, a broadband said a robust broadband circuit is criti- ments” in locations since 2011, either
mission rolled out its plan to reform the consulting irm, said.
cal.
by deploying new broadband services or
way resources are allocated and invest- The Montana Broadband Program “Broadband is needed for Montana through upgrades to existing services,
ed in broadband infrastructure.
is funded through the State Broadband to be globally competitive. It’s needed like adding iber optic cable to improve

Tester said the FCC should “rethink” Data and Development program. The just to provide basic services,” McMa- speeds.
its plan because broadband investment project, in collaboration with the Mon- hon said. “In every aspect, from work to He said many of the improvements
in rural communities is proven to create tana Department of Administration, education to health care, Internet is just were due to the funding through the
jobs.
was originally funded for broadband becoming essential and the broadband Connect America Fund, and that Centu-
“Access to broadband internet ser- planning activities and two years of data demand is increasing exponentially.”
ryLink is capable of serving 85 percent of
vices means access to bigger markets collection but was extended for an ad- “If a business is an information or a the households within its footprint.
for Montana’s small businesses and new ditional three years in order to identify knowledge-based industry, they are go- “The need for broadband is becom-

jobs on Main Street,” Tester said in a best practices for expanding broadband ing to deliver their services electroni- ing a more important part of our lives.
letter to President Obama. “I encour- in Montana.
cally over the Internet,” she continued. There is deinitely a growing need for the
age you to make sure any national plan McMahon founded Applied Com- “In the Flathead, there are a lot of people faster and faster speeds so as we prog-
doesn’t discriminate against Montana munications in 1994 and has focused on who telecommute, people who are work- ress in Montana our main focus and goal
and rural America.”
helping rural areas plan for broadband ing for Fortune 500 companies and they is to be able to provide those speeds that
According to a 2011 report by the technologies. She said the Flathead Val- are living in the Flathead.”
are necessary to keep up.”
Montana Broadband Program, which ley, where the telecommunications giant In 2012, CenturyLink, Inc. received Kellie Danielson, president and CEO
held a series of regional meetings around CenturyLink ofers Fiber to the Prem- $1.9 million to provide rural broadband of the Montana West Economic Devel-

the state to identify broadband issues ises (FTTP), has a relatively strong tech- Internet service in rural areas of Mon- opment Authority, said the state’s access
and map out Internet speeds, high- nology infrastructure compared with tana. The Federal Communications to high-speed Internet is even more im-
speed circuits are considerably more ex- much of the rest of the state.
Commission, which provided the money portant given its remoteness.
pensive in Montana than in California Still, cost remains an issue.
through its Connect America Fund, said “It’s another avenue of transporta-
and other states, a disparity that acts as a “Even though we have good infra- the money will help provide high-speed tion, it’s another avenue of infrastruc-
barrier to attracting high-tech business- structure in the Flathead, we can’t com- Internet service to 6,300 residents who ture,” she said. “It’s a way for a business
es and is expensive for smaller providers pete with a Los Angeles or a San Fran- lacked access. The agency reported that to launch and grow and not be reliant on

to backhaul traic out of state.
cisco as far as cost. It’s that urban-rural more than 55 percent of the state’s ru- the highway system, but be reliant on
The report identiied 2,095 struc- divide,” McMahon said.
ral population, or about 245,000 people, the broadband system, because we are
tures in Flathead and Lincoln Counties Surprisingly, given its remote loca- lacked such access.
isolated from major markets. Having
located outside of broadband provider tion, the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation CenturyLink must complete two- that broadband capacity is the one infra-
service areas. The structures are most- ofers some of the fastest Internet in the thirds of its new broadband commit- structure that can connect us globally.”
ly concentrated in remote areas like the state. Triangle Communications pro- ments within two years, and the remain- [email protected]
Yaak Rivers, the North Fork Flathead vides Rocky Boy residents with Fiber to der by the third year. The FCC says it
River and the Hungry Horse area.
the Home (FTTH) connection, a service
hope to connect 19 million people living

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