Staff Writer
HOULTON — Innovation is the key ingredient needed in order to create an economically friendly environment for local businesses. It’s also a factor that is missing from numerous rural areas throughout northern Aroostook County. Business owners, lawmakers and researchers gathered last Wednesday, Sept. 12 for “Eggs and Issues” in order to discuss the importance of having the innovative infrastructure needed to move forward in today’s demanding market. The discussion focused on the “digital divide” that seemed to be causing problems for entrepreneurs and small business owners in a rapidly changing economy.
Chris Anderson, president of the Houlton-based Pioneer Wireless, discussed the importance of broadband Internet services in the county and the prospects of being completely wired in the near future. He said the most difficult barrier that Aroostook County has is its vast geographical area. Several areas of the county do not have services based on the remoteness of their location.
“There’s been a lot said about the ‘digital divide’ in Aroostook County and it still exists,” he remarked.
Speakers such as Dr. Catherine Renault of the Maine Office of Innovation, discussed the impact that innovation can have on society and she said it’s just as important today to continue exploring what more can be done to expand and perfect the services that are being offered by today’s businesses.
“In order to keep our companies here in Maine, we have to compete,” she said.
One of the biggest factors in competing in today’s market is reliable and fast Internet service. Anderson and his tech team have been working to provide DSL services to areas throughout the county and he agreed that the Internet was one of the most requested services by far.
