Planning for Rural Broadband

Abstract

High-speed broadband internet is a necessary utility. However, internet service providers are often unwilling to take on the costs of serving rural areas. Federal investments to expand rural broadband have gone underutilized due to insufficient community awareness and planning practices. We explore university–community broadband planning in two rural Florida counties to demonstrate where partnership and local efforts have enabled constructive discussions toward better connectivity. We highlight similarities and differences that inform how the university and residents leveraged community capital, and we explore the planning practices employed in each case. We conclude with recommendations for community-based partnerships for broadband planning in rural communities.