News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster wants to improve broadband access to residents.
Foster said the county is grossly underserved when it comes to reliable broadband access.
“Counties surrounding us have fiber to the home, but here in Cumberland County we struggle to get even the basic access,” Foster said. “I’m trying to work with some of the providers to maker them aware of the issues and show them that expanding is going to be good for them here in Cumberland County.”
Grants are a key factor for broadband providers looking to expand services in Cumberland County.
Foster said none of the county providers applied for state grants during the last round because of an inaccuracy in the broadband maps that show available service to county residents.
“I may be asking for your help in the future on that issue,” Foster said in his monthly email. “I also believe the minimum speed set for the grants is too low and should be increased to 25Mbps.
Foster said grants are only available for areas that have a minimum of 10 Mega Bites Per Second of service.
