It's a long article but worth a read if you are one of the many Chathamites concerned with getting broadband...
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A259848Chathamcentric excerpts:
Speaker of the House Joe Hackney, a Democrat from Chatham County, said individuals contact his office about lack of broadband more than any other issue.
In the same way a congressman might shepherd a visa application though the State Department, Hackney and his staff intervene on behalf of would-be broadband customers by calling Embarq, the phone company that serves Chatham County, to determine whether there's an access point nearby and when service will become available. Hackney estimated his office has helped dozens of constituents over the years.
"It is very satisfying when you're able to help somebody with it," he said, "because it allows them to work from home and changes their life."
[..snip..]
One of the people calling Speaker Hackney's office is Joseph O'Brien, a 26-year-old resident of Silk Hope, an unincorporated community in Chatham County. O'Brien has organized a petition signed by more than 70 of his neighbors asking Embarq to extend DSL service to their homes.
"Most people here have dial-up, and they hate it," O'Brien said. It's more expensive than DSL, in fact, if you pay for a dedicated phone line. "You have people literally paying more for less. ....
