| There is a county in Northwest Montana that is 3.5 times bigger than the state of Rhode Island. Its people are generally independent, "do it yourselfers". So when the area's economy took a downturn, when the mines and lumber mills closed, some local visionaries banded together and managed to put in an Internet Node at their library in the county seat. They accomplished this using all volunteer labor, recycled materials and some county seed money for the necessary hardware. |
| Even the senior citizen, who was to become the first system administrator, came out of retirement, put off his personal plans and donated his services for 9 months! He later was paid from the project revenues for 40 hours per week, but he continued to donate, on average, another 30 hours per week for the duration of his involvement with the project. Four years later, when 15% of the county's population was on-line with KooteNet, he stepped aside to make room for others of a younger age to take over. |
| Since KooteNet went on line in October of 1994, they have succeeded in linking the other towns in the county and have established twelve public-access, Internet workstations throughout the county. The Internet is now available via a local phone call to all the communities of this rural, isolated and economically deprived area. Two T1 connections to the outside world, 56K dial-in service and digital access servers make this a pretty good ISP/Community Network when compared to the rest of the world — which can get bandwidth at 1/10th the cost that KooteNet must pay. |
| New businesses have formed and people are applying the Internet access to their own needs. Users groups meet occasionally in all three communities and classes are being held to bring people quickly up to speed on how to use computers and the Internet. All the county schools have at least some dial-in access to the KooteNet and are struggling to find the funds to increase their access to this much needed technology. Businesses, who have begun to see the benefits of Internet access, are addressing the problem of finding more affordable options for dedicated connections than those offered by the local phone companies. |
| It has been suggested that this story has the appealing elements that folks like to read about... people banding together in crisis, volunteers sacrificing to achieve the greater good, people from government, businesses, and private individuals working side-by-side. A recent survey of KooteNet's Impact on Lincoln County revealed some eye-opening results about what this infrastructure has allowed to happen in this rural area. |
| There is some historical VHS video footage taken by the first system administrator's wife, and photo opportunities abound here; there are all kinds of ready stories on-line in the KooteNet on-line newsletters, from users who have found their lives changed by this new technology. There is a Photo Album of the KooteNet story in pictures. Now all that's needed is for a documentary film-maker/TV producer to hear about it and tell the story! |
| This project and the opportunities it has afforded to Lincoln County residents, has been the answer to many prayers for new possibilities for the communities in this remote part of Northwest Montana. What the future holds will depend on the willingness of new players to "fill in the gap" and do what is necessary to see that all residents get the opportunity to play on an even field. |
NOTE: To read about the impact of KooteNet on Lincoln County, . . . KooteNet's Impact
NOTE: To view the story in pictures of how this rural project came about, . . . KooteNet's Photo Album
NOTE: To read the archived, detailed history of how this rural project came about, . . . KooteNet - the Long Story
NOTE: To read the Montana Magazine Article from Summer of 1997, about this rural community network, . . . Libby On-Line