Broadband expansion begins in Jackson

For many years there has been much discussion about broadband internet service to areas of the United States. This year, it has come to the forefront because of the COVID-19 crisis. The need for school students to have internet service for remote access to school resources has become paramount.

The 2019 school year ended with only online teaching. In 2020, there is a mixture of home schooling and classroom teaching, depending on the school district and parents' choice.

Access to high-speed, broadband internet has changed from being a bonus to being a necessity. Education through distance learning, medical services through telemedicine and conducting personal business with commercial offices that have been closed to the public are just some examples which drive this necessity.

Missouri is one of several states that has been at the front of efforts to expand broadband internet. The federal government has been funding this expansion through the availability of new loans and grants to deploy the expensive infrastructure. Missouri has set up a project to drive this expansion through the Departments of Economic Development and Agriculture.

The lack of high-speed internet affects Cape Girardeau County. Not only in the rural areas but also areas within the city limits of Jackson that have limited connectivity. This has been the result of provider companies using an "economic payback model" with limited expansion until enough homes and businesses were available to invest in the infrastructure.

Now, through government assistance from the federal programs which have been expanded with the COVID-19 CARES Act funding, the expansion has ramped up.

Jackson is a beneficiary of this expansion in two ways: First, through government aid for rural expansion; and secondly, through significant investment by a local company in broadband high speed internet in the city of Jackson.

Big River Communications, a Cape Girardeau County company that does business nationwide, is expanding its footprint in the local area.

Big River Communications will use a $2.9 million grant to deploy a "fiber to the premises" network to connect 4,839 people, 54 farms, 27 businesses, two public schools and one fire station to high-speed internet in Cape Girardeau County.

This project involves the installation of approximately 53 miles of high-speed fiber optic cable, about 75% of which will be underground in and around Jackson, as well as in northern sections of Cape Girardeau.

Kevin Cantwell, president of Big River Communications, recently reported to the Board of Aldermen that preliminary engineering work is being completed as the result of working closely with city staff and the school district administration. The goal is to begin installation this fall, with the first connections made by the end of the year. The entire project will take about a year to complete.

Jackson is the first city in Southeast Missouri to be chosen by Big River Communications to expand its local high-speed broadband internet service citywide though their private investment.

Big River, through cooperation with the City of Jackson, also has future plans to install free internet service in Uptown Jackson and in certain areas of City Park.

The company plans to open a retail location in Uptown Jackson to provide a focal point for sales to the Jackson community. It is exciting to have a new state-of-the-art fiber network for citizens and businesses of Jackson, in addition to those companies that presently serve the community.

Dwain Hahs is mayor of Jackson.