Madison County is being listed as on the front end of a more robust expansion of broadband into rural Kentucky. A groundbreaking took place Monday near the County Extension Office.
A number of broadband companies are working to install fiber-optic lines in rural Kentucky. This announcement pertained to Spectrum which has started construction on high-speed broadband for more than 800 homes and small businesses in Madison County. Charter Communications State Director of Government Affairs Ellen Call said all connections should be made by the end of the year.
“As we build, we activate those customers as we go, right. So, you don’t do the whole project and then start turning on the internet for everybody. As we build we will activate those homes,” said Call.
Madison County Judge-Executive Reagan Taylor said the broadband expansion into rural communities is a, quote, “must-have.” Taylor noted the period of COVID has emphasized that need for school, teleworking, and business dealings. He added connectivity is also important when it comes to real estate transactions.
“It’s already becoming that broadband is just as important as water and electric and sewer. And, if we do not have these things in those areas then it’s going to hard for those potential property owners to ever sell their piece of property, because of they don’t have it,” said Taylor.
Reagan projected this private company effort could wire up more than 11 hundred Madison County users. He said the county government is looking to use American Rescue Protection Act funds to extend broadband into more rural areas. And Charter Communications’ Ellen Call said Spectrum is exploring a state grant program to speed up network expansion.
