This petition is for the families and communities that lack proper access to the internet because of living outside city limits.
Due to AT&T having slow internet speeds and TMobile having inconsistent connectivity, we the residents of Trott Rd and surrounding areas outside Belton, MO city limits, are signing this petition to let Charter/Spectrum know how important it is to consider extending service in our neighborhoods.
Now more than ever, families need a proper internet connection to stay connected with their employers and educational institutions. Due to the lack of a proper internet connection we as students, employees, and as community members cannot effectively do our school work or work from home when we need to the most due to the COVID19 pandemic.
I have personally tried to contact companies to provide better internet service for my community because we have children in our area that need to do their school work and adults who were forced to work from home. Spectrum specifically said that there are plans to extend their internet service but they were unsure of how much longer it might take. Spectrum has been saying this since 2019! AT&T also refuses to provide better service to us because they have a monopoly in our area and know they have no other competition.
The ReConnect Program offers unique federal financing and funding options in the form of loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in areas of rural America that don't currently have sufficient access to broadband, as defined by the latest Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The USDA says "High-speed internet e-Connectivity is a necessity, not an amenity, vital for quality of life and economic opportunity, so we hope that today rural community's kick off their rural broadband project planning," This proves that the government is offering to help but companies are not willing to put forth the effort to help communities in need of better service
With that being said, I encourage everyone to sign this petition to help families get connected and stay connected. Everyone should have equal rights and equal opportunity regardless of where they may live.