Friday, Aug 26 2011 2:51PM
Increased access to mobile broadband in rural areas would significantly aid business owners and create more jobs, analysts stated recently.
According to Computerworld, a growing number of economic and business analysts state mobile broadband expansion in rural communities would spur job creation and improve their economies substantially.
Several members of the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) conducted a conference call recently, the report states. Many experts, including Michael Mandel, chief economic strategist for the Progressive Policy Institute, state broadband expansion is essential for commerce to grow efficiently.
"As mobile broadband is built out, you are likely to see jobs created," Mandel said in the call.
Further, Jamal Simmons, co-chairman of the IIA, recently stated the AT&T and T-Mobile merger should create roughly 96,000 jobs as the companies work to expand access to broadband for communities nationwide.
Some IIA members said in the conference call that additional initiatives from the Federal Communications Commission should also create a considerable number of jobs in rural areas, according to Computerworld.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced $103 million in grants will be provided to 16 states for rural broadband growth in under-served areas.