Bailey, Lawmakers Want to Improve Rural Broadband Coverage

State Senator Paul Bailey wants to help area communities by making it easier for broadband services to be expanded into rural areas.

Bailey addressed the issue Thursday at the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Legislative Breakfast.

“Well I think one thing that we have to do is give our rural telephone co-ops the ability to continue their expansions, as well as the big telephone companies like AT&T,” Bailey said.

Cumberland County officials have recently pushed for expanded coverage to areas without broadband services.

Bailey said state lawmakers want to make the process easier for local officials and service providers to bring broadband services to areas with little to no connection.

“We have to give them the ability to go into various areas to expand that broadband,” Bailey said, “whether it’s through grant programs like we’ve offered in the past… Maybe we need to increase the amount of grants going to those telephone co-ops so that they can expand their service into the under-served areas.”

Bailey said the potential increase of broadband services could benefit those with medical needs by providing a connection to doctors over the internet.

“Obviously in very rural areas, many people may have to travel many miles to be able to see a doctor,” Bailey said. “Once they receive internet connection in their home, now that Tennessee has expanded Telemedicine, they would be able to contact them through the Telemedicine program and receive care via that way.”

Putnam County Commissioners approved a motion in November to expand faster broadband internet coverage to rural parts of the county. Meanwhile Smith County and North Central Telephone Cooperative broke ground on a new broadband project in September.