The Benton Foundation has released a report entitled "Using technology and innovation to address our nation's critical challenges" that very successfully makes the case for a national broadband policy.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers may be better off using their cellular phones to communicate than the systems that EMS agencies provide them, according to a February report to Congress.

The community of Applegate, Michigan, is about to get plugged in to high speed Internet, thanks to the Community Connect program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

On January 15th Marcus Courtney, the president of WashTech/CWA, testified in front of the Washington State House Technology Communications and Energy Committee on the need for and benefits of high speed Internet expansion. HB 2559, currently before the Washington State House, would create a statewide high speed Internet deployment and adoption initiative. During the hearing Mr. Courtney outlined some key CWA goals: fuel the state's economy, create jobs and keep Washington competitive, bridge the digital divide and create opportunity in rural and underserved communities, and improve health, safety and educational opportunities for Washington residents.

The Hawaii state government recently launched the Hawaii Broadband Task Force, a new initiative that will examine the state's current high speed Internet capacity and its future potential.

Since the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the founding of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there's been much attention paid to the communications tools available to first responders. High-speed internet access is critical for emergency personnel, yet some police and fire departments don't even have computers.

Little by little, Internet access is changing the way Americans live and work. In Arkansas, for instance, technology is helping speed up the criminal-justice system.

The long journey toward getting high speed internet to America's heartland continues.