Moral of the story is a lot of rural places CAN get broadband, but the recourses that can carry it aren't fessing up to honest answers about it.

I know how that feels. I am in the middle of nowhere. Rural Oklahoma. The "DSL Box" (as the SBC ppl say) is less than a mile from our house yet SBC has yet to do anything with it. They assure us that DSL will be available soon (within six months) and they will notify us when it is. We call about every 3 months, always the same thing. We'll call you when it's available.
I'm beginning to think that putting a cantenna on the hill and pointing it toward the nearest big city, hoping that I can sap someone's Wi-Fi, is the only way to get a better connection.
Meanwhile, I'm stuck with AOL Dial-up and Gawd am I tired of it. I have never even been able to connect at 56k.
They have the means, but they're not willing to actually do anything.
Wow, I wrote alot. I feel better now.