The People Left Behind in a Broadband World

For many people, this is their only option for internet connectivity.As Americans anticipate the arrival of 5G wireless technology—with superfast data-transmission speeds expected to enable everything from superior home internet service to long-imagined technological advances like self-driving cars—it’s easy to forget that millions of people across the U.S. still have no broadband internet access in their homes.Their numbers are shrinking but still substantial. On the path to a better life, it’s at least a detour, if not a roadblock.In these photos, the toll that such a disconnect takes on people in southeastern Ohio is clear, from students to working people to business owners.Students without broadband access at home need to figure out a way to access online materials for schoolwork. The house was eligible for an upgrade in internet service because it's high enough on a hill to connect to a nearby satellite tower.Until this past August, when the family paid for an expensive upgrade to high-speed internet service, Lilly often traveled 30 minutes to use the high-speed internet at Ohio University, where her mother teaches.Elijah Byrd, 16, a junior at Federal Hocking High School, does research for his homework on his cellphone. The company gave the Halls a business account because Mr. Hall works from home.Nestled between idyllic meadows and rolling hills in Pomeroy, Ohio, is the Snowville Creamery dairy farm. The Warmkes live on a 40-acre property in Philo, Ohio.Jay Warmke conducts a business call while the internet runs slowly in his home.