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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Rural Broadband Funding

Credit: WCBI
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Rural Broadband Funding
Rural Broadband Funding

A bipartisan effort is going on to speed up a federal rural broadband funding program.

A bipartisan effort is going on to speed up a federal rural broadband funding program.

Allie martin talks with leaders on both sides of the political aisle who say it's time to bridge the digital divide in mississippi.

A bill moving through the us house of representatives would help speed up the release of 940 million dollars for broadband access to portions of the state without reliable internet service.

Nats brandon on zoom meeting northern district public service commissioner brandon presley is learning more about the rural digital opportunity fund in a video conference call.

He wants all areas of the state to have the same access to reliable internet.

"the time is now."

Presley says a bill filed by us congressmen jim clyburn, a south carolina democrat and fred upton, a republican from michigan, would speed up the process that awards contracts to bidders.

16 billion dollars has already been allocated.

Presley believes the coronavirus related shutdowns have made it clear the state needs reliable internet for everyone.

"these dollars can go and be seed money for our rural electric cooperatives in mississippi who are already moving in this area to deploy this service faster, this does help with financial concerns, which are valid, going into these type of ventures, but dollars are going to be spent, i think question is when and consensus is now."

Republican congressman trent kelly will co-sponsor the bill.

He says electric cooperatives are uniquely positioned to provide broadband service.

"it's the next big electric power, and if you go back and think when we put electricity to america, all the big cities got it, but to get it to the rural, you had to have electric cooperatives and now they can do the same thing with broadband, which is our next biggest utility now."

Mississippi congressman bennie thompson will also co- sponsor the legislation.

The federal money would only be for projects that could begin construction within six months and that have customers online within a year.

In tupelo, allie martin, wcbi news presley is hopeful mississippi senator roger wicker will join the effort.

Wicker is chairman of the senate commerce committee.

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