In the News

Broadband in Early County

A study is underway to determine the possibility of providing broadband access to the underserved rural population in a five-county area. The five counties participating in the study are Early, Calhoun, Miller, Baker & Mitchell.

The City of Arlington, as initiator and facilitator of the five county collaboration, has already been awarded an $88,600 OneGeorgia BRIDGE grant and each county has contributed a matching $5,000 toward the study.

As part of the study, a public hearing is being held in each of the five counties.

The public hearing in Early County will be held Monday, Aug. 28 at the Early County Ag Center.

Monday's meeting will begin at 10 a.m. with discussion of establishing a vision and the requirements for rural broadband Internet service.

Lunch will be provided for those attending the meeting. Please RSVP the county at 723-4304.

Following lunch the discussion will turn to technology currently available to the rural area and which technologies would be feasible for the area. The meeting will conclude at 2 p.m.

Generally, public agencies and companies should attend the morning session and individuals with general interest the afternoon sessions. Everyone planning to stay for lunch is asked to RSVP the county at 723-4304 no later than Aug. 25.

Technology has advanced today to a level that allows communities for the first time to realize a true equal connection with the country's economy. The remaining barrier has been the infrastructure cost of implementing a wide area system.With the introduction of Georgia's BRIDGE grant program and with other grant opportunities, rural communities today can become equal partners in the state's economy.

This study is Phase I of a two part grant application that hopefully will conclude with broadband internet service throughout the rural areas of the five counties. Phase I includes contracting with Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Center to conduct county assessments.

For more information, contact the Downtown Development Authority of the City of Arlington P.O. Box 126 Arlington, Ga. 39813, Lee Conner at 725-4386 or lmconner3@bellsouth.net.

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