Redwood Coast Rural Action has formed a work group made up of people from Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity and Mendecino counties who are involved in telecommunications issues. The group has begun a dialogue on telecommunication needs for the region. Among the goals will be to provide clear and valid information to Rollin Richmond and Peter Pennekamp who are members of the Governor’s Broadband Task Force.
The formation of the work group and the Task Force starting to meet (in the next couple weeks) along with the telecommunications blackout in Humboldt County couldn’t be more timely. It’s clear that for our region alternate fiber is a priority.
The AT&T fiber failure, as traumatic as it may have been was the best thing that could have happened to move the alternate fiber initiative foward. Many folks who had been complacent about our fragile connection to the rest of the world have now been awakened to the reality that a high wind or a shift in the earth or an errant backhoe can cut us off from the world, shut down normal business acitivity. In addition, an alternate fiber can bring competition and lower prices for broadband delivery and make new services available.
It all just takes some vision and the will to carry it out.