Approximately 88.2% of rural counties in the U.S. are considered medically underserved. Rural and small town American's face greater health challenges than those living in urban and suburban areas with greater access to resources. One of these resources is broadband. Without adequate broadband, necessary hospital equipment such as heart monitors, MRIs, X-Rays, and EMS services cannot properly function. Additionally, telehealth is virtually impossible. Bringing broadband to rural residents is very literally life and death. Join us as we discuss health and broadband with healthcare professionals in Telemedicine, Telehealth, and Mental Health.

Broadband is often 1) extremely expensive or 2) impossible to get because there aren't any providers close enough to your home. If it is somehow affordable and close enough, the quality is so bad it's like having no broadband at all! Without internet, kids can hardly do their homework anymore. If they can't do their homework then they fall behind, and ultimately our kids suffer for something they can't control. Join us as we discuss how lack of broadband is impacting education in rural and small town Ohio, and what has to be done to change it.

Rural communities and small towns are the heart of Ohio. Sometimes it feels like they are being left behind and forgotten. In order to bring jobs to these communities, they need broadband. Small businesses need internet for customers to pay with credit cards, to promote themselves on places like Facebook, to have a website, and to do things like payroll. Without these things, it's very difficult for them to grow. Join us as we discuss how lack of broadband is impacting economic development in rural and small town Ohio, and what has to be done to change it.