According to the FCC, 32.5 percent of the rural population in Ohio has access to broadband internet, while Ohio’s statewide coverage is 76.7 percent. This disparity is known as the digital divide.
The state of Ohio set goals in August 2022 to close the digital divide by providing access to high- speed internet service for low-income house- holds, aging populations, incarcerated individuals, veterans, people with disabilities, people with language barriers, racial and ethnic minorities, and inhabitants of rural communities. This is part of President Biden’s allocated $2.5 billion for three federal grant programs within the Digital Equity Act which will allow states to develop and implement plans to close the digital divide over five years, starting in 2024.
Cable Co- op Inc., which serves about 80 percent of households and 85 per- cent of businesses in Oberlin, will provide access to high-speed internet by expanding fiber optic cable in Oberlin by 2024 thanks to its unique business model.
