Governor J-B Pritzker is launching "Connect Illinois" ...a $420 million program to bring high-speed internet to all parts of the state.
Governor Pritzker says the new broadband advisory council will be planning the broadband expansion ...focusing on three areas: education, economic development and telemedicine.
"With an increasing need for healthcare coverage, the council's focus on telehealth will provide new healthcare options for everyone in Illinois, especially in more remote communities in rural Illinois, including expanded treatment options for mental health and opioid addiction."
Karri Butterfield - with the Black Bay Group in western Illinois - says downstate Illinois is particularly underserved.
"You can only imaging being an investment advisory firm and we're trying to put in stock trades, to get out of the market yesterday and we can't execute quickly enough. We have a YouTube show that we talk about investments and we have over 8,000 followers and when you have that many people trying to access, it seems to crash quite often."
The new Broadband Advisory Council will plan the effort and seek federal funding as well.
