bigskank
join:2002-06-07
Norman, OK
| reply to rradina
Re: How will this help?
I think it does help. Although you don't see the immediate benefits of this (such as businesses rolling into the state), you do begin to see longer term benefits.
For example even after the judicial decision imposing school consolidation, most Arkansas schools, especially in the eastern and southern portions of the state, are very, very rural. They have fairly low budgets. They can't afford good teachers. Having fiber/high speed data connections could allow these schools to set up "video classrooms" with the better funded schools around little rock and northwest arkansas (which is wal-mart country and one of the fastest growing regions in the US). Setting up several video systems like that is far cheaper than paying for more teachers to go to these smaller, rural schools, and represents a chance for kids to get an education.
Second, the construction and maintenance of the network itself creates jobs. It also creates a pool of expertise within the state which can be harvested when, in the hopefully near future, surrounding states (like TN, Ala, Miss, La., etc...) start to expand their networks.
The problem with thinking this will bring in business in the short-term to foster much economic development within arkansas is likely incorrect. WalMart requires all of their vendors to have a base of operations within 50 miles of the walmart home office. This has meant the area surrounding Bentonville (NW Arkansas) has grown like crazy. Odds are, any business moving into the state would go to that area b/c of walmart and because the infrastructure already exists. A fiber network won't cause them to move to the more rural parts of the state. |
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Lance2008
join:2007-08-05
Sherwood, AR | All Arkansas Schools are already connected an Internet live via fiber covering the entire state. This project was completed over 7 years ago. |
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Kiwi
Premium
join:2003-05-26
USA | Really! Show me  |
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mtroup
Marty
Premium
join:2007-06-28
Hermitage, AR | reply to Lance2008
I am a Technology Coordinator at Hermitage, AR and we have 2 T1 lines going to DIS (Dept. of Info Sys) but no fiber so I do believe you are very incorrect. |
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