[TulliusCicero]

I'm guessing internet service needs continual upgrades (for higher speeds) in a way that electricity and phone service do not.

It's also possible that Americans have less stomach for subsidizing rural lifestyles now since America is more urbanized now. As it stands, rural counties are already almost invariably subsidized by urban counties at the state level. Here's an example for Washington state: http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/welfare-state/Content?oid...

[planteen]

The real cost is laying the last mile infrastructure. If it is fiber or coax, equipment upgrades may be needed in the future, but they are far cheaper than pulling new cable.

[lotsofpulp]

Ironically, the rural counties are the ones that vote for the politicians that cut taxpayer funded services (but not taxpayer funded subsidies for their farms, obviously).

[vinay427]

I suppose neither voter is then voting in their own (financial) interests if rural voters tend to vote against rural infrastructure and urban voters tend to vote to subsidize rural infrastructure. Maybe I'm whitewashing this somewhat, but it's slightly heartening that many voters support their ideal vision of a country over their personal interests.