Residents in rural areas like Mariposa County and its surrounding neighbors may be left in a technological black hole when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) implements its National Broadband Plan (NBP).

By virtue of the Obama Administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 (better known as the stimulus package), the FCC was tasked to provide 100 million American households with access to 100-megabit per second Internet service by 2020. That is up to 100 times faster than what is typically available in urban areas, and almost beyond imagination in rural regions.

At least on the surface, to Internet users, the plan appears highly beneficial, but there is a distinct drawback. The FCC’s plan allows for funding to support as low as four-megabit service, thereby creating a virtual digital segregation in the levels or service between urban and rural regions.

Rural regions have long been behind the curve on levels of Internet service, primarily because rural areas don’t contain the population base that would provide for a reasonable return on investment by an Internet service provider to substantially upgrade their capacity.

Sierra Telephone, through its affiliate, Sierra Tel Internet, is the largest Internet service provider in Mariposa County, and company representatives Dan Rule, business development manager, and Debbie Peters, customer service supervisor, believe the FCC’s plan is “flawed,” and it will have a potentially negative impact on rural regions across the country.

In 1996, Congress passed and adopted the Communications Act which requires that rural consumers have access to communications services at prices that are affordable and reasonably comparable to those available in urban areas.

In a statement released by Sierra Telephone, the company states, “The FCC’s plan, rather than supporting the philosophy of universal service for all Americans, offers faster, better service to some Americans while guaranteeing lesser service to others. This would potentially create a ‘digital divide’ and not provide the bandwidth needed in rural areas for healthcare applications, public safety, and economic development.”

Sierra Tel Internet’s (STI) level of service has often been criticized in online forums and letters to the editor, but in fact, it currently offers speeds in excess of what the FCC’s plan would provide.

Company representatives are urging residents to contact their state and federal representatives. STI’s NBP talking points document states, “Contact your congressional representatives! Urge them to support regulatory action that ensures access to broadband for all Americans. The FCC and Congress must redirect the broadband plan to ensure that 100-meg service is the goal for all U.S. consumers, not just a select few. Continuing on the current path will leave rural America on the slow side of the broadband digital divide.”

Residents can find information on the NBP and letter templates to send to government representatives on STI’s Web site (www.sti.net) , or personalized letters may be e-mailed to nbp@sti.net.

Sierra Telephone is sponsoring a community meeting at the Best Western Yosemite Way Station of Highway 140 in Mariposa on Friday, July 23, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Impacts of the pending law will be explained, and concerned residents are urged to attend.

The deadline for comments is right around the corner on Aug. 5.