88% of Vermonters have computers. 80% of them subscribe to the Internet for a variety of reasons.
But Vermont ranks 43rd in the nation for Internet transfer speeds. Businesses and families benefit from better Internet access, but the existing service providers haven’t provided universal access to high-speed broadband because Vermont is too rural so it’s not cost effective for them.
Vermont needs consistent, reliable, high-speed broadband to all homes and businesses because:
- Remote learning and education are only possible with consistent, reliable broadband speeds. COVID-19 has exposed significant network deficiencies with the online education experience throughout the state
- Telehealth is a burgeoning need that looks to be a trend that will far outlast the pandemic
- Working from home, which looks like a new normal for many people, requires high-speed broadband to function effectively
- Social connection remains a crucial element in our culture, never more evident than in this time of ”COVID” isolation
- Research: an unimaginable amount of available information is only keystrokes away
- You can share a household’s broadband connection with 3–4 people without it feeling clunky
- You can download high-resolution photos in seconds and HD videos in just a few minutes
- You can engage in online gaming with others around the world
- You can upload and share your video and sound productions in minutes
- You can promote your business or hobby to build a stronger economy
DVFiber can do this because, as a not-for-profit entity, our goal is providing high-speed broadband access for all users within the district, not profits for shareholders. Vermont’s ability to attract and retain a new generation of families requires having the communications infrastructure they require and expect.
Additionally, the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic have demonstrated the need for such a system that serves all of us.