Benefits of Personal Communication (via the Web) Seriously Underrated

As we work to get more broadband around the state, and around the country, you often hear about the economic impact of broadband – the jobs made possible through access, the training and educational opportunities, the increased possibilities for local governments and healthcare, etc., etc.

But, in taking a break from all the economic stimulus talk, sometimes it seems we skip over the most fundamental aspect of broadband – simply providing a vehicle for personal communication. While this benefit may seldom come up during policy debates about public funding, it is still of valid importance.

In thinking of how we communicate with colleagues, friends and family, most of us have reached a point where our most constant communication is done over e-mail. It is simple really – by e-mail, we can reach a lot more people, in a lot less time. Do you have famiy or friends overseas or on the other side of the country? Well, you probably use VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) to talk with them. In this instance, it’s actually better than phone service because folks can use video as well. (Hey – pictures are great, but how else would you have such a great opportunity to see how quickly your nieces are growing?)

Then there’s Facebook. Talk to almost anyone using this and you’ll hear them go wild over how many unexpected (or forgotten, lost) friends they have suddenly and joyfully reconnected with. You now get to easily keep up with each other day-to-day, even if you haven’t actually spoken to them in years! Maybe these examples are too personal, but we would venture to say that many people would give up their televisions or cell phones before giving up their broadband access.

Some experts have argued that Internet-based communication erodes people’s ability to interact well in-person. But the personal communication aspects of broadband rank tremendously high for many people, above and beyond the obvious economic benefits of connectivity. It’s hard to imagine not having broadband access, and even harder to realize that so many people around the state don’t have this communication tool available.