Those of us with high-speed internet simply cannot imagine life without it. Yet, one-fourth of the rural U.S. population doesn’t have access to a broadband connection, according to the Pew Research Center.

We certainly see this in certain areas of Central Florida. Those living in areas lacking high-speed internet access are often hindered in their economic growth and face challenges accessing resources, including education and healthcare. If that’s not enough to convince you of the need to expand broadband infrastructure, think about this:

High-speed internet drives local economic prosperity. The sustainability of rural communities has long been challenged. Younger generations looking for career opportunities have been looking elsewhere and ultimately leaving to find employment. Broadband changes this. A recent survey of new adopters of broadband under the age of 30 reveals that 70% are more likely to remain in their community when there’s a high-speed internet connection at home. With high-speed internet comes confidence in employment opportunities and economic growth. It improves access to online jobs and remote work. Community leaders also see the opportunity and anticipate their workforce and economic activities will grow significantly when citizens have access to more educational opportunities, telehealth, and faster and easier access to apply for jobs and benefits.

Eighty-six percent of consumers with recently available high-speed internet say it has improved their lives. For families without high-speed internet access, there are significant educational challenges, especially in lower-income households. The majority of lower-income families believe high-speed internet will improve their children’s test grades and will improve their ability to apply to colleges or vocational schools after high school graduation.

Access to the world, via high-speed internet, is no longer a luxury. Over the past several years, Cox, like other companies, has invested millions of dollars to reach the un- and underserved with the help of federal funding. We all must stay vigilant to make sure these funds and those available in the future are being used the way the government intended. When used responsibly and paired with private investment from internet service providers, we can create greater opportunities for economic advancement through connectivity. We know firsthand it’s a massive undertaking with a large investment, but it’s not only worth it, it’s what we must do to help our communities thrive.

Ensuring that everyone, no matter their income or location, has access to reliable internet at home is critical. However, solving this challenge will require multiple approaches and cannot be done alone. It will take continued support from federal and local partners to get these rural, and sometimes hard-to-reach, communities connected.

For a deeper dive into rural broadband access survey results, visit www.coxexpansionimpact.com.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of columns sponsored by COX Communications.