The broadband gap between rural America and urban locations is a wide one, and the question is just how to close that gap.
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Fiber-optic spools are ready for installation in Wisconsin's Bayfield County.
Contributed
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Communication towers stand tall near Arlington, S.D. In town, residents have access to high-speed internet, but seven miles outside of town, rural residents have few options for reliable internet access.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Jager Robinson
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