LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska state officials have released a plan that aims to have faster Internet service available to more households by 2020.

The goals in the “Broadband in Nebraska” report include having broadband service of at least 25 megabites per second available to 90 percent of homes, and having 90 percent of Nebraska households subscribe to broadband service.

Rural areas are more expensive for carriers because the service has to cover large distances but still reach relatively few paying customers.

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln economist told lawmakers last year that his research has shown a correlation between broadband service in small towns and business activity. The research found that smaller towns with broadband services also tended to have more 18- to 34-year-olds and residents with college degrees.