Lt. Gov. Jon Husted activates new broadband tower to provide internet access to 2,000+ households in 27 counties.
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was in Dover, Ohio on Monday, January 23, 2023 to activate a broadband tower that is expected to provide internet access to more than 2,000 households. This tower is part of JobsOhio’s Digital Access Ohio Initiative, which aims to increase broadband access in 27 counties, many of which are rural. Ryan Grewell, the general manager of Smart Way Communications, a local internet provider and partner in the initiative, began offering internet to rural areas in Tuscarawas County in 2014. However, the lack of critical infrastructure made it difficult for companies to get a return on their investments.
JobsOhio is providing financing and loans to the project, making it more economically viable for companies to offer broadband in rural areas. This initiative will make Ohio more economically competitive, as it will open up doors of opportunity to people who do not currently have access to high speed internet. It will also work to fix broadband inequities, creating opportunities for unserved or underserved communities to change their economic future.
Now, businesses and households in Dover are able to access fast internet. According to the recent speed tests, the project will increase wireless broadband speed from 1.4 megabits per second to 524 megabits per second. JobsOhio’s partnership with the internet company, Canton-based Agile Networks, will be transformational to many rural areas in the state. Agile Networks is building the towers and will maintain them, while JobsOhio is providing access, financing and loans to the project.
The Digital Access Ohio Initiative is a major step forward for Ohio, as it will create access to high-speed internet for many communities in the state that were previously unable to access the modern economy. The initiative will take four to five years to complete, but the activation of the broadband tower in Dover is a major milestone for the project.
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