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To the Editor:
I read in the Jan. 24 issue your editorial "I'm Shocked! Shocked!" and the article "Piling On in Corn Country," both of which are about the abuse of the federal program for broadband in rural communities. To say the least, we were confident about our large investment until I read these articles.
Our town, Atwood, Kan., is listed as approved on the USDA website. We just finished upgrading our cable plant to 870 MHz and are offering broadband service. We did this with our own money, not any handouts. Atwood is a small town--1,100 population--and we have about 440 subscribers. Atwood Cable Systems has been in business here since we built the system in 1981 with our own hard-earned money. Atwood Cable is the third broadband provider in Atwood. Shortly after we announced our rebuild, Southwest Bell decided to offer DSL, and another company, Rural Telephone, installed a wireless system. We are a family-owned business--my father, brother and myself plus two employees. My father, brother and I were born and raised here.
After reviewing the list from the RUS website, I noticed that none of the small towns surrounding us that do not have any broadband whatsoever are listed to receive any money for these services. In two neighboring communities, Colby and Goodland, Kan., S&T Telephone overbuilt the existing cable systems--this must have been with funds from this program. S&T ended up buying out the incumbent (Time Warner) in Colby after they built the new system, I guess to eliminate the competition. In these two towns, S&T has built enormous new office buildings, and it looks like all their employees are driving a brand-new fleet of vehicles, too.
Bob Dunker
VP, Atwood Cable Systems
Atwood, Kan.
[Ed.'s note: Please go to www.cableworld.com/cableworld/ to download a sample form letter the ACA suggests cable operators use to alert their elected officials about the RUS loan program.] Back to this issue
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