Connect Ohio Applauds Federal Grant to New Era Broadband for High-Speed Internet Expansion in Meigs County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2010
Contact: Chris Pugh
614-214-6755 or cpugh@connectohio.org
MEIGS COUNTY, OHIO - New Era Broadband, LLC received a federal Rural Utilities Services Broadband Initiatives Program grant Wednesday totaling $2,954,929 for broadband expansion in Meigs County.
The grant will be used over the next 24 months for a last-mile infrastructure project which will provide fixed point to multi-point wireless broadband service connecting nearly 3,500 unserved households, businesses, and critical service facilities in the county. In addition, the project is expected to bring over 25 new jobs for county businesses.
"Our project will benefit Meigs County residents for years to come," New Era Broadband Company President, Brien Burke said. "The grant will bring affordable high-speed Internet service to nearly 3,500 residents and businesses here. The award will also provide economic opportunities for the County, which will be able to have higher speed Internet at a lower price.”
The company is incorporated in 2007 and currently serves 117 broadband accounts in Meigs County.
New Era Broadband's award is part of the $7.2 billion made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the purpose of bringing broadband to populations in the United States underserved by broadband.
"We believe expanding high-speed Internet access is a key step to help improve the economies of Ohio's rural and underserved areas," Ohio Governor Ted Strickland said. "Today's award for Meigs County is another step toward our goal of total broadband access across the state."
Assistance for the project was offered by Connect Ohio, a nonprofit, technology-neutral, public-private partnership that works with telecommunications providers, business and community leaders, information technology companies, researchers, public agencies, libraries, and universities in an effort to help extend affordable high-speed Internet service to every Ohio household.
"This funding will help Meigs County residents take advantage of the benefits available through access to high-speed Internet service," Connect Ohio Executive Director Tom Fritz said. "It highlights the importance of the broadband mapping and planning efforts Ohio has undertaken since 2007 as part of Governor Strickland’s Connect Ohio initiative.”
Connected Nation, the parent organization of Connect Ohio, worked with New Era Broadband on the project.
"We helped them identify unserved areas and public safety towers to use for transmitters," Connected Nation Director of Engineering and Technical Services Chip Spann said. "In addition, programming and design consulting was provided as part of New Era's grant application."
Connect Ohio also held monthly meetings in Meigs County as part of its eCommunity Strategies program, which covers all 88 Ohio counties.
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For more information about what Connect Ohio is doing to accelerate technology in Ohio's communities, visit http://www.connectohio.org
# # #
Related links:
Connect Ohio Facebook page
Connect Ohio Twitter page
August 5, 2010
Contact: Chris Pugh
614-214-6755 or cpugh@connectohio.org
MEIGS COUNTY, OHIO - New Era Broadband, LLC received a federal Rural Utilities Services Broadband Initiatives Program grant Wednesday totaling $2,954,929 for broadband expansion in Meigs County.
The grant will be used over the next 24 months for a last-mile infrastructure project which will provide fixed point to multi-point wireless broadband service connecting nearly 3,500 unserved households, businesses, and critical service facilities in the county. In addition, the project is expected to bring over 25 new jobs for county businesses.
"Our project will benefit Meigs County residents for years to come," New Era Broadband Company President, Brien Burke said. "The grant will bring affordable high-speed Internet service to nearly 3,500 residents and businesses here. The award will also provide economic opportunities for the County, which will be able to have higher speed Internet at a lower price.”
The company is incorporated in 2007 and currently serves 117 broadband accounts in Meigs County.
New Era Broadband's award is part of the $7.2 billion made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the purpose of bringing broadband to populations in the United States underserved by broadband.
"We believe expanding high-speed Internet access is a key step to help improve the economies of Ohio's rural and underserved areas," Ohio Governor Ted Strickland said. "Today's award for Meigs County is another step toward our goal of total broadband access across the state."
Assistance for the project was offered by Connect Ohio, a nonprofit, technology-neutral, public-private partnership that works with telecommunications providers, business and community leaders, information technology companies, researchers, public agencies, libraries, and universities in an effort to help extend affordable high-speed Internet service to every Ohio household.
"This funding will help Meigs County residents take advantage of the benefits available through access to high-speed Internet service," Connect Ohio Executive Director Tom Fritz said. "It highlights the importance of the broadband mapping and planning efforts Ohio has undertaken since 2007 as part of Governor Strickland’s Connect Ohio initiative.”
Connected Nation, the parent organization of Connect Ohio, worked with New Era Broadband on the project.
"We helped them identify unserved areas and public safety towers to use for transmitters," Connected Nation Director of Engineering and Technical Services Chip Spann said. "In addition, programming and design consulting was provided as part of New Era's grant application."
Connect Ohio also held monthly meetings in Meigs County as part of its eCommunity Strategies program, which covers all 88 Ohio counties.
# # #
For more information about what Connect Ohio is doing to accelerate technology in Ohio's communities, visit http://www.connectohio.org
# # #
Related links:
Connect Ohio Facebook page
Connect Ohio Twitter page
Labels: broadband, Connect Ohio, Meigs County, New Era Broadband
posted by Connect Ohio at
11:54 AM
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