Bringing broadband to West Virginia is an uphill climb, experts say

About 27 percent of households in rural West Virginia currently lack access to 25/5 Mbps internet speeds. The US Department of the Treasury disbursed West Virginia’s $136.3 million in Capital Projects Funds (CPF) dollars in May 2023—and the entirety of the funding is going towards broadband access initiatives across the state. Since all broadband solutions throughout the state pose unique challenges because of topography, there is a case to lean into what is considered a superior solution anyway: fiber. “At this point, it’s as future-proof as you can get. We want to invest in something that will be around for a while,” said Robbie Morris, Chairman of the West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council. In the future, Morris hopes to not just see ISPs building out a single internet option for unserved households. “I would love to see multiple ISPs in markets. [It] creates better service and lower costs all around,” he concluded.