In today’s connected society, access to high speed internet has changed from being a “want” to being a “need” in our daily lives. Surpassing the need to stay connected and receive high quality entertainment and data streaming, the need for high speed internet is vital for academics and business transactions. The demand for access to high speed internet is only expected to rise in the future as more of our daily activities become reliant on connectivity.
The Elmore County Commission recognizes that there is a large portion of under-served residents in our county with regards to high speed access. The Commission is working closely with the Elmore County Economic Development Authority (ECEDA) to actively promote business and industry opportunities in Elmore County. ECEDA is actively working as a catalyst for this issue in our county, recognizing its impact on the quality of life of Elmore County residents, as well as the impact for current and future businesses in our county.
ECEDA is currently engaging in conversations with other cable/high speed internet providers as well as data companies to review our current infrastructure to bring some options to Elmore County. We are aware of some grant opportunities the county may be able to apply for that will assist in this effort as well.
Previous county commissions have entered into Cable Service Provider Contracts with various providers, but no provider retains exclusive rights to utilize the rights of ways in Elmore County. Many of the provisions in the agreement between the county and the provider are set by the Cable Act and not by the Commission. The current commission remains open to dialogue and discussion with other providers that are able to bring the best service to Elmore County residents.
Elmore County desires to stay as business friendly as possible. We believe working with ECEDA to help solicit input and bring other companies to the table for discussion is the first step in this process. We look forward to working for a better Elmore County.