For many people in the US, a life without the internet is hardly imaginable. Whether for leisure, education, or work, most of us spend several hours online these days.
The events of the past two years of the COVID pandemic have made it particularly clear to us, how isolated you can feel when you have to stay at home and have poor or no access to the internet. Jobs depend on it as well! Unfortunately, up until this point, there are still neglected areas where working from home or attending school via video meetings is a real challenge.
Mississippi and the challenging internet in rural areas
One example of US states affected by the challenging internet in rural areas is Mississippi. Although there are numerous internet service providers there, the online situation in many areas of the state is not necessarily rosy. Data suggests that many Mississippi students and adults who prefer(red) or had to work from home spent the pandemic with below-average access to high-speed internet. This is especially the case in the state’s less affluent areas.
Mississippi has long suffered from poor network coverage and slow internet speed. Statistics last updated in the summer of 2021 say Mississippi is currently ranked 42nd in the US. This makes it one of the ten US states most disadvantaged when it comes to broadband access, partly due to the relatively low nationwide average download speed of 84.5 Mbps. Over 16% of the population still do not have access to a high-speed wired broadband connection of 25 Mbps or faster.
An important factor here is the so-called “digital divide,” which indicates the large gap between internet users with very good and others with very poor internet. As far as connectivity in Mississippi is concerned, a lot depends on your particular location.
Satellite internet – a bridge for the digital divide
In such a challenging online situation, satellite internet providers like HughesNet provide a great alternative to traditional ways of land-bound cable connection. HughesNet offers a reliable high-speed internet connection regardless of where you live! This is made possible by modern satellite communication technology.
Brad’s Electronics is your Local Authorized HughesNet Retailer in Pontotoc, MS. Contact us for your own satellite internet access to get to the high-speed side of the digital divide!
Sources and further reading:
https://eu.clarionledger.com/story/news/2021/07/08/mississippi-broadband-expansion-lacking/117402366/
https://eu.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/30/faster-internet-rural-mississippi-grants/5534869002/
https://broadbandnow.com/Mississippi
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