NEWS - Connecting Appalachia

LATEST RELEASES

Legislature restores broadband funding, removes municipal network ban

June 30, 2021

Broadband expansion is back on the agenda for the state of Ohio. The state budget conference committee restored the Governor's $190 million broadband funding proposal and removed a controversial amendment that would have prevented local governments from offering broadband services…

Broadband expansion: Ohio Senate cuts funds, limits municipal networks

June 18, 2021

Releases

With the state budget now in conference committee, the Ohio Senate is trying to eliminate the Governor's $190 million broadband expansion package from the bill. Senate president Matt Huffman also has slipped in an amendment that would make it illegal…

Accountability is key to successful rural broadband expansion

June 6, 2021

Releases, Video

Over the last 30 years, the FCC has spent $100 billion to improve rural telecommunications, yet much of Appalachia remains without high speed internet, cell signal, or even reliable landline telephone service. How did this happen, and where did all…

2021 State of the Region Rural Broadband Presentation

May 14, 2021

Documents and FIlings, Releases

At the 2021 Appalachian Ohio State of the Region Conference, Tom Reid outlined the steps needed to bring broadband to all households in the region. With the prospect of significant government funding on the horizon, it is essential to advocate…

Rural Broadband: We must plan for the next 30 years

May 5, 2021

Releases

As the Biden administration gears up to invest billions in rural broadband access, industry insiders like the National Cable TV Association and AT&T have expressed concerns about the high cost of fiber optic technology. While they acknowledge that fiber is…

The True Cost of Rural Broadband

March 22, 2021

Releases

FCC internet subsidy will cover just 20% of cost in rural Ohio. Will it be enough? The Year of the Zoom Meeting has made one thing abundantly clear. If you don't have high speed internet, you can't participate in the…

COMMUNITY VOICES

Broadband is a core utility

We think broadband is a core utility that we must be able to provide to the city. This will help us in attracting new businesses and incentivize people to move here now that so many people can work remotely.

Greg Bricker, Mayor, East Liverpool, OH

Broadband’s effect on the housing market

Realtors in Coshocton County tell us that the number one question from potential home buyers is broadband speed and availability. Previously, the most common questions were quality of schools and parks. If a house is “Dark” (no broadband), buyers lose interest and look elsewhere for a home that has adequate…

Gary Fischer, Coshocton County Commissioner

Alarming lack of access in New Philadelphia

The pandemic lockdowns revealed an alarming lack of Internet access for students and adults in New Philadelphia. That added to the difficulties they had in completing homework and receiving vital public health information.

Joel Day, Mayor, New Philadelphia, OH

A level playing field starts with broadband

The pandemic-related need for students to take classes from home and employees to work remotely exposed the broadband disparity in Guernsey County and rural America, in general. A level playing field starts with broadband.

Dave Wilson, Guernsey County Commissioner

Access leads to growth, growth leads to prosperity

We have been unconnected for far too long, access to technology leads to growth, growth leads to prosperity. We have a beautiful landscape in the rolling hills of Appalachia, and it would complete the beauty to be able to connect to the outside world.

Mark Mills, Mayor, City of Coshocton

Without broadband, we are cut off from the rest of society

The pandemic and its exigencies changed our world. Without reliable access to broadband, our children can no longer compete in this new world where remote learning is a requirement and the Internet is the gateway to the entirety of the world’s information. Our sick and elderly can no longer access…

Andrew Body, Auditor, City of Zanesville

Video: Interview with Melissa Marolt and Michelle Wright

Two Perry County locals share what it's like to live in a community without reliable, affordable broadband.

Melissa Marolt and Michelle Wright

Video: Interview with Casey Coffey

When children in small town and rural areas miss out on their right to an education because of lack of broadband, something must be done. Casey Coffey, superintendent of New Lexington City Schools speaks about how he has seen education impacted by lack of broadband.

Casey Coffey

Placing the Burden on Customers in Beverly, OH

I live outside of Beverly and our house does not have access to high speed internet. I know that Verizon just put a hub down the street from us and I believe it is for Fiber. Spectrum stopped 5 houses down from us. Our neighbor recently contacted Spectrum and they…

A Washington County, OH resident

Video: Left Behind without Broadband: A Conversation with Fred Redfern

Former mayor of Crooksville, Ohio, Fred Redfern, discusses the challenges that rural communities face due to lack of broadband access, especially as regards the education system.

Fred Redfern

High School Student Needs Access to the Internet

I have a daughter that is a sophomore at AHS that has been participating in the virtual learning. At our house we only have only one internet provider available, Frontier, and it cuts out 50+ times during a school day every day. They have been out to service it and…

A Parent in Athens City School District

IN THE MEDIA

Broadband: More towers set to go live next month as service expands

May 20, 2022

COSHOCTON — Ohio TT is continuing the wireless broadband project with Coshocton County Commissioners as more towers are poised to go live by the end of June. Equipment is expected to be on towers in Nellie, Conesville, White Eyes Township, at Coshocton County Head Start and what is known as the Stuart Site within the next week. They should be active by the end of June, said Megan Kvamme of Ohio TT. Customers will be hooked up starting in early July.

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$85 million needed to bring broadband to everyone in Tuscarawas County

May 19, 2022

NEW PHILADELPHIA — A new study financed by the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA) estimates it would cost nearly $85 million to bring adequate broadband access to underserved areas of Tuscarawas County. The study, conducted by the Reid Consulting Group, found that 30% of households in the county do not have access to FCC minimum internet speeds. The findings can arm commissioners and economic development officials with facts and figures so they've got something to show it they're talking to a funding agency

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Coronavirus-related funding could help close the digital divide in Eastern Ohio

April 19, 2022

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ohio — The gap may be closing on funding and demand for internet in the Ohio Valley. A new study from Reid Consulting Group, in conjunction with the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association, shows the digital divide in Eastern Ohio remains high.

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Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted Announce New Broadband Expansion Projects

March 19, 2022

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today announced new broadband expansion projects that will make affordable, high-speed internet available to nearly 100,000 households in Ohio that currently don't have access to reliable internet connectivity. This morning, the Broadband Expansion Authority authorized BroadbandOhio to award more than $232 million in grants to 11 internet service providers as part of the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program. The funding will be used to cover the “broadband funding gap” associated with 33 broadband expansion projects impacting 31 counties.

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Broadband to expand to Fayette, 30 other counties

March 18, 2022

Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion grant funding will be used to cover the “broadband funding gap” associated with 33 broadband expansion projects impacting 31 counties — including Fayette County as well as Highland, Clinton, Brown and Warren counties.

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New maps show local broadband deficit

March 16, 2022

The Seneca and Wyandot data is from a new mapping resource tool Broadband Ohio released Tuesday on its website, broadband.ohio.gov. The tool “more accurately shows how many of the state’s households are connected to high-speed internet, providing a clearer, more detailed picture of Ohio’s broadband availability gaps,” according to a news release from Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. The tool includes a statewide map along with profiles on each of the 88 counties.

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