Capital Highlights: Rural Texas struggles with digital divide

If broadband is a lifeline, then rural Texas is in danger of dying.

In its first report to the Texas Legislature, the Governor’s Broadband Development Council called for the creation of a state broadband plan and a state broadband office. Texas is one of six states without a plan for enhancing broadband access.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for broadband connectivity and emphasized it is a critical issue for the state’s rural and unserved areas, according to the report. Almost 1 million Texans do not have access to broadband at home, and rural Texans represent about 90% of that number.