Spokane County in Washington has finally approved rural broadband budget worth $3 million and their agreements with the providers.
Rural Broadband in Spokane County
Spokane County has decided to use the Federal American Rescue Plan fund for rural broadband worth $3 million. They also approved their agreements with two rural broadband providers to bring high-speed internet to the Chattaroy area and the City of Medical Lake.
In a published article in The Center Square, the project comes after the Spokane County Board of Commissioners approved through a unanimous vote last year the use of ARP funds. It attempts to “address challenges with access, affordability, and reliability of broadband services through construction, modernization, and broadband access adoption.”
Spokane County Communications Manager Jared Webley said that the agreements approved for the rural broadband will help to foster, develop, and improve affordable, quality broadband accessibility for underserved, and unserved communities and populations in Spokane County.
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Officials Released Statements
The approved budget to improve rural broadband in Spokane County will help residents in the area. Commissioner Mary Kuney said that the ability to expand the connectivity and access rural broadband in rural communities in Spokane County has always been a high priority.
Additionally, Commissioner Josh Kerns added, “Broadband is the new essential modern utility. The ability to access the Internet and navigate in the digital world has become as much of a life success factor as water, sewer and electricity were in the past. I am pleased that we were able to provide this service to our residents by completing these agreements with our partners,” according to a published report in KREM2.
Needless to say, the rural broadband partners and providers of Spokane County will be Comcast and Ptera. Each of them will serve two different areas.
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