Coverage ratings are derived from Ookla Speedtest Intelligence® data for the months of February 2020 through August 2021.
The maps below can help planners define and refine broadband expansion strategies based on potential business demand, population density, and existing unserved road corridors. For example, locations with significant unserved business demand can be good targets for economic development grants, while areas with a high concentration of unserved roads and low number of households may require more subsidy than more densely populated locations.
>9,206 are below 25/3 Mbps
= the amount of fiber it would take to install fiber-to-the-home in areas below 25/3 Mbps
Business demand for broadband varies based on company size and economic sector.
The presence of a high-demand business or multiple businesses of any size will make that area significantly more attractive to a broadband provider.
The budget is based on a fiber-to-the-home network with enough capacity to meet demand for the next 40 years. Expected investments and grant amounts will vary based on the area to be served, the population density, and the presence or absence of other services.
9,206 households passed
10.2 households per fiber mile
79.4 MILLION
Total County Cost
$1,720
per household
15.8 MILLION
Projected Internet Provider Investment
$6,912
gap per household
=899 miles of fiber
63.6 MILLION
FUNDING GAP
Awards for broadband infrastructure have been announced from federal, state, and private agencies. The maps below illustrate areas within the county that have been awarded funds. *awards are tentative, due to the vetting and certification process of some agencies which could result in some projects not reaching completion or funding reductions.
Fixed wireless can be an excellent way to address rural broadband demand in the short term. Because service is delivered wirelessly, the technology takes less time to bring online than fiber-to-the-home and has lower initial costs. While fixed wireless does not have the capacity or long-term expansion capabilities of fiber, a fixed wireless provider with sufficient tower coverage can address gaps quickly and offer a competitive alternative to incumbent providers who otherwise would have a de-facto monopoly.
Coshocton County has partnered with Ohio TT to deploy fixed wireless services to county residents. The county has pledged $5 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to subsidize this deployment. The project will feature 21 new antennas and 10 new towers*.
*numbers provided by OTT
- Auction 904: RDOF awarded to winning bidder(s) for the county
- Certification and Project initiation pending
