Longmont, Colorado leads way to high-speed Internet in US for all

Global Business

Last week, Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission Tom Wheeler, laid out his vision for how to make the Internet more open. President Obama recently unveiled a proposal to help extend broadband service to more of America. One U.S. city that’s leading the way in offering high-speed Internet to its residents is Longmont, Colorado. CCTV’s Hendrik Sybrandy reported this story from Longmont.

Longmont, Colorado leads way to high-speed Internet in US for all

Last week, Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission Tom Wheeler, laid out his vision for how to make the Internet more open. President Obama recently unveiled a proposal to help extend broadband service to more of America. One U.S. city that's leading the way in offering high-speed Internet to its residents is Longmont, Colorado. CCTV's Hendrik Sybrandy reported this story from Longmont.

Jon Rice is a web developer for whom a reliable computer connection is critical.

“Our entire business is basically predicated on having fast, easy access to the Internet,” Rice said.

Longmont is one of a few U.S. cities that now provide high-speed fiber optic Internet to its residents and more than 500 households are already hooked up.

In this wired world, power resides with people with quick access to information more than ever. Fast broadband is a key to that, Obama argued recently, adding that more Americans should have access to it.

So far, 20 U.S. states including Colorado prevent municipalities from offering Internet service, but Longmont voters won an exemption to that law and the city-owned utility plunged ahead.