Broadband: Critical Ingredient for Western NC Economic Development

Information now circles the globe through broadband, rather than books. Broadband is the high-speed access that lets you use the Internet efficiently, downloading big files of music for your iPod or the medical records that your doctor might need to save your life.

In 2004, the United States ranked 10th in the world when it came to broadband service to all its citizens. This year, the International Telecommunications Union said the United States has slipped to 16th.

Western NC, according to the e-NC Authority, the state agency that promotes high-speed Internet access. The e-NC Authority recently hosted a conference in the Asheville Renaissance Hotel to look at the progress Western North Carolina has made in broadband access. More here.