((PKG))  WEST VIRGINIA CONNECTIVITY   
((Banner:  Connectivity)) 
((Reporter:  Julie Taboh)) 
((Camera:  Adam Greenbaum))  
((Adapted by:  Zdenko Novacki)) 
((Map:  Summers County, West Virginia))   
((NATS)) 
((Joe Brouse, New River Gorge Regional Development 
Authority))  
The lack of broadband coverage and reliability in many parts 
of the state of West Virginia contributes to the challenges 
that we face in terms of economic development, recruiting 
business and improving the quality of life.  Businesses 
expect it.  Households expect it.  If people want to live here, 
they need to have access.  It's an aspect of being in the 
modern world.   
((NATS)) 
((Fritz Boettner, Sprouting Farms))  
In order to improve the bottom line for the farmer, we have to 
keep, what I would call, the food hub costs down.  So, that's 
the cost of aggregation, distribution, marketing, all those 
things. And that needs to be self-sustainable itself.  In order 
to do that, you have to use technology.  And when I say 
technology, I mean using, like, cloud-based software 
systems that help manage your inventory producers, no 
matter where they are in your network, which stretches for 
300 miles, and you need connectivity in order to do that.  
And I think in West Virginia, connectivity is a severe 
challenge.   
((NATS)) 
((Ken Allman, Small Business Owner))  
It's very difficult to operate a business without reliable 
broadband, without reliable mobile communications as well.  
The two really complement each other and you need them in 
order to function on a day to day basis.   
((NATS)) 
((Terri Giles, Appalachian Headwaters))  
We're five miles, six miles (8 Ð 10 km.) outside of a little 
town, with a little townhouse broadband.  But, you get five 
miles down the road, and you don't.  So, that's the challenge 
for us in order to expand and grow, that we need to have 
broadband and these things.   
((NATS)) 
((Fritz Boettner, Sprouting Farms))  
Right now, I would say, like, half of our farmers, maybe, do 
not have access to solid internet or even cell phone 
communication to make these types of transactions happen.  
If I'm thinking about the future and we're going to grow these 
farmers and they're going to be doing more, we want more 
farmers in the network, that connectivity issue needs to be 
dealt with.   
((NATS)) 
((Ken Allman, Small Business Owner)) 
They say it's the last mile that makes the critical difference in 
a telecommunications infrastructure and it can make a huge 
difference.  There's parts of our state where you might have 
broadband, but you don't have water.  There's parts of our 
state where we have water, but you may not have 
broadband.  It's important to have all these essential 
functions in order for commerce to take place. 
((NATS))