Several years ago, I wrote a column about being spoiled by conveniences. That holds true today.

While attending the Oct. 5 public meeting hosted by the High Speed Internet Committee, the reality of how dependent we are on the latest technologies — and that we should expect those services — hit home.

Fortunately, I have a service provider that enables me to connect at a decent speed without worries or delays.

Listening to some of the residents’ concerns reminded me of the early days of “the world wide web” and uploading news content at the end of a shift. It was the early 1990s and that meant dial-up. I can still hear that squeal as the attempt to connect kept the editors waiting and waiting and waiting. It didn’t take long to get the data prepared, but the actual upload seemed like an eternity.

Surprisingly, we have neighbors in our county who endure that waiting game. That is, if they even have the option for Internet service. And then there are some who have to depend on dial-up. Having not had any dependence on dial-up for several years, I would expect it has improved. But, there’s that speed issue addressed in the meetings in Montpelier and Mechanicsville.

Some residents operate their businesses from their homes. High speed Internet access is an issue in the success of their ventures. Internet service costs mentioned were astronomical.

So, where are we now with this? The committee will be presenting its report to the Hanover County Board of Supervisors in December. Can our county afford to fund accessibility?

What arrangements can be made to entice providers to bring the service to residents from one end of the county to the other?

More than a decade into the 21st century means the conveniences we expect are not unrealistic. Our hope is that the committee and the supervisors will be able to persuade service providers to invest in a growing and prosperous Hanover County. Time will tell.