West Virginia Broadband Access: 'The future belongs to the connected'

Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) and his counterpart, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) have done a great job keeping WV’s lack of broadband access in the forefront of the national discussion. But they need all West Virginians to help spread the word. That’s the message Sen Manchin shared during his stops in Lewis County on Oct 18, urging West Virginians to measure their internet speeds and send them to his office. “We’re urging everyone to do these speed tests,” Sen Manchin said. “We need to know, and people need to be involved in West Virginia, if they ever want to have broadband, high-speed internet and cell service. This is what we’re fighting for.” Sen Manchin said the goal is to “cover him up” with responses, referencing Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai. Saying that it was Lewis County’s concerns with poor broadband service that first brought the state’s problems to his attention, Sen Manchin said it is a statewide issue because of WV’s rural status. Sen Manchin brought Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel with him, and she quickly joined the chorus of concern, emphasizing that “the future belongs to the connected.”