Loans for rural Internet hard to get

calidan · Nov 29, 2005, 06:14 AM

DALLAS CENTER, Iowa--Daniel and Linda Hawkins expected to lose some amenities when they moved to this small farming town, population 1,759, from a slightly larger city nearby. But they were so sure they would have high-speed Internet access that they had high-capacity wiring installed in every room in the house.

After all, many farmers who live nearby subscribe to a high-speed wireless service provided by Prairie iNet, a small company based outside Des Moines, and they zip effortlessly around the Web.

But to the couple's dismay, their new house, complete with a fishing pond in the back, lies in a wireless dead zone, one that Prairie iNet is not likely to fill soon. Turned down by a federal loan program meant to bring high-speed access to rural areas in 2004, the company is using its limited private funds to expand service to small businesses in the Des Moines suburbs rather than farmers and homes spread among the rolling corn and soybean fields of Iowa and Illinois, a constituency it started serving in 2000.

"There is demand on the commercial side, and we recover our costs quicker on that side," said Neil J. Mulholland, Prairie iNet's founder and chief executive. "And it's too bad, because there are a lot of people out in these areas that really want to get our service, and they will pay the $50. Many of them are paying $70."

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Read More / Source: News.com

Nov 29, 2005, 06:14 AM	#1
calidan Frozen in Carbonite Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 1,409 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Loans for rural Internet hard to get DALLAS CENTER, Iowa--Daniel and Linda Hawkins expected to lose some amenities when they moved to this small farming town, population 1,759, from a slightly larger city nearby. But they were so sure they would have high-speed Internet access that they had high-capacity wiring installed in every room in the house. After all, many farmers who live nearby subscribe to a high-speed wireless service provided by Prairie iNet, a small company based outside Des Moines, and they zip effortlessly around the Web. But to the couple's dismay, their new house, complete with a fishing pond in the back, lies in a wireless dead zone, one that Prairie iNet is not likely to fill soon. Turned down by a federal loan program meant to bring high-speed access to rural areas in 2004, the company is using its limited private funds to expand service to small businesses in the Des Moines suburbs rather than farmers and homes spread among the rolling corn and soybean fields of Iowa and Illinois, a constituency it started serving in 2000. "There is demand on the commercial side, and we recover our costs quicker on that side," said Neil J. Mulholland, Prairie iNet's founder and chief executive. "And it's too bad, because there are a lot of people out in these areas that really want to get our service, and they will pay the $50. Many of them are paying $70." ___________ Read More / Source: News.com __________________ Steam Community :: ID :: calidan "Don't try to be like Jackie. There is only one Jackie.... Study computers instead." - Jackie Chan