News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The state has awarded Cumberland County internet providers $26.5 million dollars that would connect 8,800 addresses to broadband.
Mayor Allen Foster said Ben Lomand received the majority of funding and will focus on all areas of the county.
“Literally portions all over the county including sections of Crossville have bad broadband,” Foster said. “When I first got involved in this when I was first elected, the person at TNECD at the time that was over broadband told me that Cumberland County was actually unique with how bad of a problem we have.”
Bledsoe Telephone received just over $4 million that will be used for the southern portion of the county. Foster said the county will match up to $3 million of federal COVID money to the projects. The total build out cost with all parties involved is $44.4 million.
“In that general southern area from Tansi all the way down to the Bledsoe county line, they got about 1,900 new address points in it,” Foster said. “The rest of the county from the western portion, north, to over east is Ben Lomand. There were 6,900 new address points.”
Foster said the county will now work with the providers to map out exactly who will benefit from the services. Foster said the project will take a few years to complete.
