Broadband expansion in the works

The Martin County Broadband Steering Committee met in Fairmont to receive an update on both a countywide broadband project as well as a BevComm project.

Both projects are meant to increase and provide broadband infrastructure to underserved and rural areas.

Jim Beattie, director of government relations for BevComm, was up first to share Bevcomm’s progress.

“Last September, BevComm applied for a grant for the southeastern portion of our service area,” he said. “We were successful in receiving that grant. Total project costs were just a shade under $395,000, of which the grant portion was almost $158,000, with BevComm contributing the remaining amount.

“We are well on our way to completing that project; fiber is in the ground, all the splicing has been done, and all the fiber is up to the customer premise. All we’re waiting for now is the customer premise electronics and we hope to begin installation of those starting in November of this year.”

Beattie noted that BevComm recently applied for six more Border to Border Broadband Grant projects, noting that this time the focus will be on the northwest corner of its service area.

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