COLUMBUS, Ind. — A newly completed survey and study of Bartholomew County broadband service says one out of four Bartholomew County residents have no home internet service.
The largest density of customers in Bartholomew County who need access to high-speed broadband internet is in western and southwestern areas of the county, according to Bartholomew County Broadband Initiative Committee chairman Tony London, who is also a Bartholomew County commissioner, London says areas most in need include sections of Jackson, Ohio, Wayne and parts of Harrison Township.
This week, it was announced that four providers have already been chosen through a federal bidding process to serve different areas of Bartholomew County.
Jackson County REMC plans to bring fiber optic lines to parts of Sandcreek Township as early as next year, while Charter Communications, Inc. had committed to installing high-speed internet to rural areas in southwestern areas, London said.
London told Bartholomew County Council members Tuesday that Mercury Wireless is expected to bring broadband to northwest sections, while a company called Dell TD is making plans to move ahead with plans to serve northeast areas, London said.
“While lots of things are happening, nothing has been set in stone (in terms of timetables),” he said.
Although many counties have a goal of achieving countywide broadband in six years, London said he anticipates it might take a slightly longer period of time locally.
Even with four new providers, there will still be rural homes without broadband internet, so Bartholomew County officials are trying to work with other providers to identify and fill in gaps in the coverage area, London said. Conversations are currently underway in regard to specific areas and the number of homes each provider will serve, he said.
About $250 million in new money is coming from federal and state coffers to help pave the way for rural broadband internet across Indiana. On the local scene, Bartholomew County Auditor Pia O’Connor has already set aside about $450,000 from federal CARES act money provided to assist with COVID-19 needs.
In addition, the Bartholomew County commissioners are considering using money from their telecommunications fund for rural broadband service. While that fund currently had $905,000, O’Connor says half of that money is earmarked for future information technology in new county buildings.
While there are other financial sources available, most require matching funds, so more money won’t be possible without financial assistance from the Bartholomew County Council, London said. Specific funding proposals are expected in the next three to four months.
In order to be enticed into filling gaps in coverage, other internet providers will need to know several key facts, such as those included in the recently-released survey results of over 2,100 individuals or families, London said.
The survey will also help local officials know what obstacles and challenges they need to remove in order to attract service providers, London explained. Changes might include reworking ordinances that make it difficult to bury cable in the right of way, as well as finding ways to extending fiber optic cable in a more cost-effective way, he said.
“We’re trying to make Bartholomew County look as attractive as possible,” county commissioners chairman Larry Kleinhenz said. “We don’t want (internet providers) to wait six years to come here. We want them here – like last week.”
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
