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Lewis County Launches Broadband Expansion Project
with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremonies in Port Leyden and Town of Diana
Published: January 10, 2022
at 05:00 p.m.
By: Press Release from Lewis County Department of
Planning and Community Development
Lewis County Broadband Launch
Ribbon cutting ceremonies held in the Village of Port
Leyden and the Town of Diana
Lewis County
celebrated the launch of the new Hudson Valley Wireless broadband expansion
today and announced that a number of income-eligible residents will qualify
for free installation of the equipment necessary to enable service at their
homes.
For the last two
years Lewis County has been working to expand broadband access to its
residents to help ensure long-term access to affordable, quality internet.
The county has taken a hybrid approach, planning a variety of solutions for
different parts of the county, depending upon what will likely work best.
With funding from NYS Homes & Community Renewal’s NYS Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the first phase of the broadband
expansion is complete.
Ribbon-cuttings
took place at Port Leyden and Harrisville, the sites of the first two
towers in this initiative to be brought online. The county capitalized on
existing assets by installing wireless equipment on towers it owns,
enabling service to approximately 599 unserved household in this phase of
the project.
The event also
celebrates the launch of 27 free public wi-fi hotspots located in hamlets
and villages throughout Lewis County, including Port Leyden and
Harrisville. While Hudson Valley Wireless will provide these free hotspots
within their service areas, Lewis County Legislators endorsed a
one-of-a-kind 3-year agreement with Spectrum to replicate this service
throughout the entire County.
As part of its
on-going broadband efforts, Lewis County was awarded $747,790 in funding
through the State’s CDBG Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
(CARES) program to expand broadband infrastructure in low to
moderate-income communities within the county. This project was completed
below the anticipated budget, so Lewis County will be using the remaining
grant funds to cover the cost of installation of customer equipment on a
first-come, first-served basis for approximately 200 households that both
live within the project area and are income-eligible for the Affordable
Connectivity Program (ACP). In addition to receiving free standard
installation and free equipment, subscribers that qualify for the ACP will
also be eligible for the Microsoft Affordable Computer Initiative with
laptop or desktop devices starting at $11.
“From the initial
data-gathering project that the Development Authority jointly sponsored two
years ago, Lewis County has enthusiastically demonstrated its commitment to
expanding broadband service for the residents of the county,” said Carl E. Farone, Jr., Executive Director of the Development
Authority of the North Country. “The Authority is proud to have worked
collaboratively with Lewis County to help bring these projects to fruition
and we look forward to continuing that partnership to further expand
broadband to benefit county residents.”
"Internet
connectivity is a modern utility on par with electricity and water. It is
critical that rural areas like Lewis County invest in broadband
infrastructure to keep our community competitive and livable,” said Ryan
Piche, Lewis County Manager. “I am proud of the efforts we've made in Lewis
County to serve our residents with this critical infrastructure. Few
communities in the North Country have done as much to close the rural
broadband gap as we have. It is also important that we thank our incredible
partners in the Development Authority. Their expertise and leadership on
this issue are invaluable to the region."
While this event
marks a monumental achievement in closing the digital divide in Lewis
County, several additional broadband projects are in the works. Over the
next year, with funding awarded to Lewis County by the Northern Border
Regional Commission, Hudson Valley Wireless will expand its service area to
include the towns of Harrisburg, Pinckney, Denmark, Lowville, and a portion
of Montague. Relative to fiber expansion, through a public/private
partnership with Spectrum, Lewis County Legislators also approved the use
of ARPA funds to connect approximately 366 potential households in the
towns of Croghan, Denmark, Watson, Lowville and Greig to highspeed
internet.
Furthermore, with
funding from New York State’s ConnectALL
Initiative, NYPA will be working on a $10 million pilot program to expand
broadband in the Town of Diana.
“These local,
state, and private investments are remarkable for our rural county, and we
will continue to push for complete county-wide broadband coverage,” Piche
said.
New York State
Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne
Visnauskas said, “Affordable and reliable
highspeed broadband is essential for New Yorkers to fully participate in
our economy and society. We are thrilled that our $748,000 CDBG CARES award
to Lewis County has already benefitted nearly 600 unserved households and
is expected to provide free equipment installation for an additional 200
residents. Alongside Governor Hochul, and in
partnership with local leaders, we will continue our efforts to remove the
barriers to high-speed coverage in under resourced communities and build a
truly inclusive, engaged and connected New York for all.”
To check the
availability of high-speed Hudson Valley Wireless internet service in your
area or to see if you are eligible for free Hudson Valley Wireless
installation and equipment through the Affordable Connectivity Program,
please visit https://www.hvwisp.com/ .
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Our full video from each ceremony
can be viewed via the links below:
VIDEO (YouTube):
Lewis County Launches Broadband Expansion Project in Port Leyden with
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
VIDEO (YouTube):
Lewis County Launches Broadband Expansion Project in Town of Diana with
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
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