In 2008 the country was in the midst of a recession, and in order to rebuild and recover, Congress passed a “stimulus” bill to help the country with countless “off the shelf” projects that would employ people and help the economy. President Obama then observed that we need “off the shelf” projects to boost the economy. While some projects were successful, many were unsuccessful because, in reality, being “ready to go” is often impossible. Because? Due to government delays. President Obama concluded that when it comes to being “ready to get done,” there is no such thing.
Fast forward to 2023 and President Joe Biden passed the Bailout America Act, and more recently the Cut Inflation Act. The bipartisan bills have a lot going for a lot of people.
One of the key provisions is the effort to provide “Internet for all”. This more than $100 billion dollar program would expand internet services to an estimated 30 million people, from elementary school kids like those we saw on the sidewalks outside fast food restaurants trying to do schoolwork on tethered tablets Wi-Fi, even seniors and Native Americans on reservations miles away from doctors.
$65 billion was earmarked to bring the internet to those who currently don’t have it just in California. This could include 250,000 households in Los Angeles County that don’t have internet because they can’t afford it, or the Mesa Grande reservation in the San Diego Mountains, which is about thirty miles from medical facilities, or thousands of people 65 and older living on a fixed income, many in mobile home parks. To understand the problem, there are 300,000 mobile homes in California, many of which house seniors on a fixed income.
It is also important to know that there are companies specialized in expanding the Internet using cheaper technology that is easier to install and that provides a better service than that offered by the large cable companies.
In response to an announcement about the launch of a wireless internet service, Kwikbit Internet, in a large mobile home park in San Diego, I attended the open house to see the service and meet the people who installed it.
What I discovered amazed me. Prospective internet customers in San Diego, Imperial County and dozens of other US cities and communities can save millions of dollars by getting superior internet service than they can get anywhere else.
The mobile home park is located in Escondido. It has 185 units and has existed for 40 years. Utilities are buried underground. It would simply cost too much to dig up every street and connect to the incumbent cable company that you used to pay $160 a month for internet and unused phone service.
I am currently subscribed to a wireless internet service. I “cut the cord” six years ago. No wires to be blown down by high winds or cause more trouble.
