Kentucky Unveils Plan to Implement Broadband Statewide

On Aug 31, Kentucky leaders kicked off their plans to roll out broadband Internet service throughout the state as part of a three-year public-private partnership. Implementing the KentuckyWired I-Way broadband project is slated to cost the state and its private-sector partners an estimated $324 million in coming years, but officials are willing to pay the price to bring the state up to connectivity snuff and increase its competitive edge.

The project, originally introduced in late 2014, is being heralded as a huge step toward bringing affordable Internet service to the populated portions of the state, many of which stand without rural access, according to the Federal Communications Commission 2015 Broadband Progress Report. In fact, Kentucky lists its current national ranking at 47th in broadband availability with around 23 percent of the state’s rural population completely without access. The service gap was widened even further when the FCC announced new broadband speed standards in January 2015.