Mississippi has the lowest internet penetration rate in the country with 2007 figures showing only one third of households having a broadband service and over 12% still using dial-up from their ISP. Over 40% had no access to any internet service, whether in the home or through a public facility. The state was ranked 40th in the 2009 Speed Matters survey with an average download speed of 3.7 mbps, up from 2.7 mbps in 2008.
The state's main problem is its low population density in many rural areas, with an internet provider having little incentive to provide broadband internet services to those areas. A 2007 Census of Agriculture showed that only 20% of Mississippi farms had a high speed service against 33% nationally.
Mississippi has only 53 internet providers and 584,000 service lines for broadband service, with 435,000 servicing households and 148,000 going to businesses, mainly in high population areas. Most are DSL lines, with some fiber optic cable and many rural areas being dependent on more expensive satellite service.
AT&T announced a $66 million investment in its 3G network to improve wireless internet access, adding to the $717 million spent from 2005 to 2007. Nevertheless, wifi hotspots are clustered mainly around the southern region on the Gulf Coast, with very few further north.
In an effort to improve service, the state offers tax credits against equipment used in the deployment of broadband technology. These vary from 5-15% annually, with the higher rates available for rural areas. Individual towns and cities are making progress, with West Point receiving a $200,000 grant in 2007 to construct a fiber optic loop. Mississippi is also proposing to apply for federal funding available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Composed entirely of lowlands, Mississippi is heavily forested and has a sub-tropical climate with long summers and short, mild winters. Thunderstorms are common with hurricanes occurring in late summer and fall, the most notable recent one being Katrina in 2005.
Most of the farm-raised catfish consumed in the US originate in Mississippi. The state has the lowest per capita personal income of any but also the lowest living costs and the highest charitable contributions. The state capital of Jackson is the largest city, followed by Gulfport, Hattiesburg and Biloxi.
Cities in Mississippi likely to have, or soon to receive, fiber optic cable internet services include Jackson, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Biloxi and Southaven. Locations in MS with highest population counts will be targeted first by providers, though relatively high speeds can be achieved with dial-up or DSL through companies such as Netzero and Charter Communications Cable.