Whether or not you use the Internet much, discussions on the topic of local high-speed availability (or the lack thereof) will be vital to the future of the county.

Last week the Chamber of Commerce sponsored one such discussion with a representative of Comcast speaking to the topic at their monthly luncheon. The “answers” provided were predictably vague. 

High-speed is no small issue anymore. Where fast Internet speed was once a luxury, it’s now become part of mainstream American culture, and an essential part of operating most any successful business.

People depend on it for their work, kids use it for school, and it’s an undeniably valuable tool in everyday life. And maybe it’s a sad commentary on our society, but I know plenty of people who would have absolutely no idea what to do with themselves if they didn’t have it whenever they needed it. I should know; I’m one of them.

Sure, Powhatan is still fairly rural — not yet a business mecca — and there’s a sizeable percentage of the population that has no interest whatsoever in the Internet, much less the speed at which it works. But for the rest of us, it’s a pretty big deal.

As an example, accomplishing many of my normal job functions as a community newspaper editor are all but impossible from the office in Powhatan. Often, I am forced to hold off on work until I can get to another location with better Internet speed and reliability. That’s not a good situation for a county that wants to attract business. 

So who is to blame?

Well, Comcast isn’t the only Internet provider in the area, although they’re easily the largest and the one most of us in the Richmond area turn to for help. But like any business, they’re in the game of turning profits — big ones — and they’re not going to put down lines where there aren’t plenty of houses, businesses and paying customers.

The other side of the coin is that this immediate profit logic fails to recognize the fact that Powhatan is prime real estate for small businesses, many of which would be more inclined to make the move if they had a high-speed infrastructure already in place. 

Whether you personally require high-speed or not, I don’t think anyone wants to see Powhatan get left behind. While the “small town” life is something the county will want to cling to in many ways, this is one situation where moving more slowly than the rest of the world is not necessarily a good idea.