Broadband Expansion Funds

The lack of broadband internet service is an issue that's been plaguing the state for years, and now help is on the way.

The lack of broadband internet service is an issue that's been plaguing the state for years... now..

Help is on the way... that help comes from the mississippi electric co-operative broadband covid-19 act... which lawmakers passed this week..

Our quentin smith joins us live in the studio to explain the details... joey....of the more than one billion dollars the state received in coronavirus relief funds... 75 million dollars is going towards broadband expansion... in particular, it's going towards those in rural areas... state leaders say the pandemic is exposing the lack of broadband services in certain parts of the state.... now they're hoping these funds will help solve that issue... many school classes are now being taught online... and more people working from home... this new normal during the covid-19 pandemic and it's creating difficulties for rural mississippians.

That's why state lawmakers came up with the mississippi electric co- operative broadband covid-19 act..

A bill northern public service commissioner brandon presley says he's in favor of.... "this is the largest allocation of funds both on the state level and private dollars for broadband expansion in the history of the state."

75 million dollars will go towards this grant program... but here's the catch... each co-operative that participates has to match each dollar the state spends... so in all, 150 million dollars is being used to help improve internet service in these areas all throughout the state..

"this will be a grant for construction and connection.

These grants will go out not only to build the back bone, the fiber back bone to get to these areas that last service, but also everything from taking that individual service to drop into the home of each customer, so it is a full package of broadband connectivity."

Each electric-co- operative has the option to be a part of the program..

If they chose, they must act fast... the deadline to apply is july 17th and the money will be sent out at the end of the month.

"you've got folks that totally rely on satellite for internet service which is very costly, and the speeds are not all that great.

This grant program requires a minimum speed of 100 mb upload and 100 mb download which is very fast internet speed, it's above the average in mississippi."

Presley says how fast each home and area receives internet service is all based upon how fast their service provider can begin work.

" almost all of the area that will be applied for in this grant program, under the normal course of broadband expansion would be the last people that would be hooked up simply because they are in the most rule area.

We are reversing that in this grant program and actually going to the people who in a normal course of business may have been the last house hooked up, they will actually be where we start."

At this time governor tate reeves has not signed the bill, but presley says he expects him to do so in the coming days...