HBC officials meet with White House staffers on broadband
Officials in Washington are working feverishly to develop a broadband plan to connect rural America to the rest of the country and the world. Hiawatha Broadband Communications President Gary Evans, Chief Financial Officer Bob Bartz and V-P for Technology Dan Pecarina returned last night from a two-day trip to Washington D.C. where they met with White House staff on how best to get service to rural America. Evans supports a fiber infrastructure, but that option has been viewed as too expensive, something Evans said is not true. A wireless delivery system is another option, but is not suited for areas like southeast Minnesota where the bluffs block line–of–site signals. Evans said wireless delivery could serve more remote regions and fringe areas where fiber would not be a cost effective option. Evans said the White House meeting ended on a positive note with staff asking if HBC would be available for more visits. President Obama said he would like to have a completed broadband blueprint by mid–February.
