KINGWOOD, W.Va. –Ten counties in West Virginia will be receiving funding for broadband infrastructure projects.
Governor Patrick Morrisey made the announcement in recent weeks that they have partnered with five different Internet Service Providers that will help bring the expansion of fiber-to-the-home broadband infrastructure.
The agreement will allow the installation of 362 miles of fiber infrastructures to 2,897 locations in order for them to gain high-speed internet.
One of those areas is Preston County. $10,333,384 dollars will be given to Digital Connections, Inc. and dba Prodigi to help them expand broadband to their customers.
Preston County Commission President Don Smith said that this has been an issue for a while. He explained when he became president of the commission, he was asked by a businessman when he was going to receive broadband so his clients could connect with him.
Smith said he was excited when he saw the news because of the difference it will make.
“This is going to make a huge, huge difference and I’ll be honest with you, I was really excited about it because it will make a difference, I mean it really will,” he said.
He explained that it’s going to impact businesses, people who work from home, telehealth, and education.
A few years ago, ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund disbursed money to counties. Smith said they were able to use that to expand broadband.
“They actually did some expansion, but they literally stopped a half mile from my house, I can see where the wire ends when I drive past it and there’s a lot of people like that,” Smith said.
However, some residents may err on the side of caution.
“There’s been some starts and stops in the past with where going to get broadband here, we’re going to get broadband here and it doesn’t happen, so I think people are cautiously optimistic,” Smith said.
He said that he knows it’s going to take time because something like this takes time.
However, he said that the excitement will kick in when people start seeing lines put in.
“I think the excitement will build when people see the lines coming down their road, that will be when there oh my, there it is, I see it, I can get it now, this is great,” Smith said.
Other grants announced by Morrisey:
$2,779,895 to Citynet: Calhoun County, Doddridge County, Gilmer County, and Lewis County
$7,744,946 to Comcast: Jackson County, Mason County, and Putnam County
$9,920,660 Spruce Knob Seneca Rocks Telephone: Pendelton
$3,822,632 to Micrologic: Grant Count
All of the awards can be viewed at West Virginia Broadband Investment Plan Dashboard.