Martinsville (VA) sees opportunity in its municipal broadband network

Martinsville, Virginia, is looking for quick ways to create new revenue and the answer may be staring the city in the face. MiNet is a city-owned telephone and internet service provider for local businesses and residents in Martinsville. As of the 2020 census, the population of Martinsville was 13,485, but MiNet only has a total of 376 customers with 98 and of them classified as residential. But the city council sees MiNet as a significant source of potential revenue for the city. “MiNet can not only be an economic benefit to the city, but it’s an excellent fundamental service for our citizens,” said Vice Mayor Aaron Rawls. “We’re going to be engaging external help to meet our expansion needs,” Rawls said. “We want every citizen to have access and we need help to make this happen ... When we officially roll this out, we’ll be working with multiple partners that will provide affordable broadband service to everyone.”