Bandwidth may presage a boom

Northwest Montana has just struck gold — or virtual gold, at least!

The partnership that is wiring the Flathead with fiber-optic network capacity from Missoula straight through to Whitefish, and also over to Libby, could well be the start of an economic boom that will rival anything ever seen here.

Just think of it. Up till now, most businesses in the area have been dependent on 1.5 megabit T1 lines to communicate on the Internet, and those T1 lines clogged up plenty fast with so much business now being conducted online.

But by the end of the year, the available capacity will be boosted to 100 megabit connections. That huge leap will not only benefit existing businesses, but may eliminate the last roadblock for many businesses that would love to relocate to Northwest Montana.

It also provides the framework for helping to convert the well-educated work force here into the raw material for a potential tech explosion.

Credit for recognizing that potential goes first to the Montana Health Information Exchange, which received a federal award of $13.6 million to create a dedicated health-care network, but recognized that the entire community could benefit if the network were expanded with private dollars invested at the same time.

MontanaSky Networks and the Ronan Telephone Co. committed their own resources to the project, adding millions of their own dollars as well as their considerable expertise. MontanaSky will be the retail provider for the new network.

Prices for Internet service will probably decline as a result of the added bandwidth available, but more importantly, Montana West Economic Development and the local Chambers of Commerce will have an important new tool in their kit to attract business to the area.

Thanks to all involved.

Remembering D-Day

Today, June 6, is the anniversary of D-Day, the 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy to begin the arduous process of reclaiming Europe from the Nazi invaders who were set on world conquest.

Amphibious units landed on the beaches across a 50-mile stretch of coastline in northern France at the same time as thousands of British, American and Canadian troops were air-dropped behind enemy lines in what turned out to be the start of a year-long push to Berlin.

At least 10,000 Allied soldiers died in that first day of the invasion, but they were heroes to a greater cause. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.”

Those who were alive then will never forget it. The rest of us never should.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.