WRAL Documentary: Disconnected

A high speed Internet connection is about far more than streaming movies and playing video games.

The ability to do business, get an education and get quality health care are becoming increasingly dependent on access to a high-speed Internet connection or broadband.

While most people living in the urban areas of our state have broadband service many rural areas still do not. Without high-speed Internet some communities are unable to attract new business and even lose businesses that relocate to get broadband access. Some public school students who don’t have access at home rely on their parents to drive them to a library or a fast-food restaurant to access a Wi-Fi connection to do homework. Patients living in rural areas sometimes drive long distances to get to a medical facility when access to telemedicine through a broadband connection at home would serve their needs.

The WRAL Documentary “Disconnected” examines the reasons behind this digital divide, the challenges it creates for so many people living in rural areas and what can be done to fill the gap and bring high-speed Internet access to everyone in our state.

WRAL News reporter and anchor Monica Laliberte narrates “Disconnected," March 19 at 7:30 p.m. on WRAL-TV, WILM-TV, wraldocumentary.com and the WRAL channels on Amazon Fire, Apple TV and Roku.