Spectrum is helping make sure that families in rural northwest Ohio are connected to the world through increased broadband access. The company and elected officials talked about the projects at Cory-Rawson schools this morning. Spectrum is looking at a 9 billion dollar multi-year initiative to bring internet, phone, and TV access to areas across the United States that couldn't get it before. Some of the funding for their build-out is coming from the federal government and Ohio to help companies like Spectrum increase reliable internet access.

August 21, 2024, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine: (COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik today announced a state investment of $94.5 million that will provide affordable, high-speed internet access to more than 35,000 households across the state. As part of the second round of the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant (ORBEG) program, the Broadband Expansion Authority authorized BroadbandOhio to provide funding to two internet service providers, Time Warner Cable Midwest and Brightspeed, for six projects serving 23 counties. The program is designed to provide internet service with speeds of at least 100/100 Mbps to households upon project completion. 

BroadbandOhio is a private-public partnership, where each sector puts up money to expand access to underserved residents. But the program is just one part of getting Ohioans connected. Hardin County is one of the areas in the state that will see greater and faster broadband access because of this private-public partnership. Around 90 percent of the populated area that doesn’t have high-speed internet, and with around a $15 million investment that is going to change.

Last month, Gov. Mike DeWine announced his proposed budget for 2022 and 2023. Part of that budget was the Investing in Ohio Initiative, which plans to put $1 billion back into Ohio's economy.

The Ohio Senate has passed Senate bill 8 unanimously to create the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program, which would increase access to broadband services in underserved areas in the state. Nearly one million Ohioans lack access to high-speed internet, which has been highlighted during the pandemic as the demand for online education and telemedicine has gone up.

The DeWine-Husted administration is partnering with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to bring faster internet to Buckeyes in rural parts of the state. The DeWine team announced they are looking into opening o-dot-maintained state highways to broadband providers. Not only would it make it easier for those providers to get to the larger areas they serve, but the state is hoping it will also encourage them to bring access to under-served parts of the state and improve Ohio's economy.