Broadband access an ongoing issue for Ohio counties

Since the connectivity summit held in Marietta (OH) last July, the plight of Appalachian broadband deserts has caught the attention of lawmakers in Washington D.C. “At this time the Citizen’s Connectivity Committee is particularly interested in four of the most recent bills,” noted Liz Shaw, organizer of the Appalachian Ohio-West Virginia Connectivity Summit and Town Hall held at Washington State Community College and Marietta High School in 2017.

The four bills cover support for community and municipal enterprise of broadband systems, call for additional mapping of broadband deserts, look to strategic planning of highway-fiber optic coordination and streamline additions to established poles for new wiring and equipment. The four bills are:

• The Community Broadband Act of 2018
• MAPPING NOW Bill
• Climb Once Act
• Dig Once Act of 2018