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IBM, Hughes to Provide Satellite Internet Connectivity to Rural Towns

Rural and remote municipalities can build low-cost municipal Web sites and get broadband data transmission.

ARMONK, N.Y. -- IBM is adding satellite connectivity from Hughes Network Systems to its "Totally WebGovernment" program, which is designed to help rural and sparsely funded communities to build and maintain municipal Web sites.

Through IBM's program, targeted for communities of less than 50,000, municipalities can use a template to build a low-cost Web site that enables citizens to go online for municipal services or to find out about community events or to send an e-mail to a municipal official.

To date, 65 municipalities in nine states have signed up with the program, which is affiliated with the National League of Cities (NLC) and the National Association of Counties (NACo).

IBM will work with Hughes Network Systems to provide broadband satellite connectivity to rural and remote areas of the country without DSL or cable modem Internet connections.

Morrilton, Ark., population 6,550 and located on the Arkansas River about 50 miles northwest of Little Rock, worked with IBM Morrilton's Web site.

The Web site includes information about Morrilton's history, dating back to the 1820s river-boat era, as well as basic information about trash pickup and a planned July 4th picnic on the Arkansas River.

City officials said the partnership with IBM allowed the city to build its Web site at a low cost and with minimal staff. Although the Web site will become the repository of all city documents, officials also said it's more important for the Web site to serve as a "window" about Morrilton for potential tourists and new businesses.

"In a small city, you don't need a Web site to tell you where to pay a parking ticket because you know where City Hall is," said Mayor Stewart Nelson. "We're using our Web site as a portal to promote economic and community development. We're putting links to other organizations, such as the nearby automobile museum, the state park and the local newspaper. We've tried to make our site a "hub" for all information about our city."

According to the NLC and the NACo, there are more than 3,000 local governments in the United States. NACo will demonstrate the new broadband satellite services at its Western Interstate Regional Conference from May 22-25 in Billings, Montana.