The telehealth wave is making its mark in rural communities as well. When you live two and three hours away from the nearest doctor or healthcare facility, telehealth can be a godsend.

Matt Larsen, owner of 20-year-old Wireless ISP (WISP) Vistabeam in Nebraska, says you can’t just lay down some fiber and routers, and call this a broadband success. You need leading-edge applications as well. Rural areas often lack the human and tech resources necessary for broadband to thrive. So Vistabeam is designing Community Empowerment Centers to offer communities:

private Telehealth Consultation rooms;full-time Digital Navigators and reception area;digital skills and telehealth training; andInventory Rooms with shared computing devices and equipment.

Socia and Larsen will give our Gigabit Nation audience tips and recommendations you can use right away.