Businesses and residences within the City of Fort Bragg may access the internet via high speed broadband or a dial-up connection. However, broadband access is limited outside City limits.

There is a small volunteer group called the Mendocino Coast Broadband Alliance (MCBA) that’s working to bring broadband access to all of the Mendocino Coast, hopefully by 2010.  They are allied with the Redwood Coast Connect project at Humboldt State University.

MCBA’s purpose is to to achieve affordable, reliable, and ubiquitous high speed internet access at 10 mbps for the underserved residences and businesses on the Mendocino Coast.

Hilarie Coate, MCBA member, explained why broadband access is important to businesses. “The face of business on the Coast is changing as some of our long time industries fade, like lumbering and fishing. Making a living looks different now for students as well as adults who want to have better jobs or new careers…  Many adults look to improve their livelihoods with new degrees or certificates. Businesses want to train and retrain workers online. To do this in today’s world, and certainly in the future, computer technical skills and internet savvy are necessities. High speed internet access is a must. The many in our area who are still suffering with dial-up need to start jumping up and down to demand high speed internet from AT&T, Comcast and our County. The opportunities are limited for those without it.”