The NEK Broadband Summit brought more than 60 people together on June 27, 2019 to figure out how to spread more and better broadband to the less populated areas of the Northeast Kingdom.
What's the problem?
The NEK’s three counties are home to 16 of the 20 most underserved towns in the state, where a third or more of addresses are unable to purchase even the most basic of internet service. Out of its 55 communities, only Newport City can say more than 90% of its buildings have access to truly high-speed broadband.
“It can be tempting to sit and wait, hoping that someone, somewhere will fix this issue for us,” Katherine Sims, Director of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative told attendees that afternoon. “But the reality is that is unlikely. No one is coming to save us. It is up to us.”
So what's the latest?
Summit participants heard from federal, state and local representatives about the current status of policy efforts and programs designed to help increase access to broadband in rural communities. Representatives from CV Fiber and a Lyndon area group gave updates about their efforts to bring fiber to their communities.
We updated the group about regional efforts to form a NEK Communications Union District and to secure federal grant opportunities to assist communities.
Sims charged those gathered at NVU-Lyndon – community and municipal leaders, internet providers, funders, and state and federal legislators – to join the region-wide effort to implement an action plan for making progress on the issue.
Conference attendees pledged to organize at the community level and to keep meeting at the regional level to increase connectivity where it is most needed. Check out the full summit report:
Want to join the effort?
Form a broadband committee in your town to look at this issue
Join the NEK Broadband Working Group by contacting the NEK Collaborative
Sign up for the NEK Broadband listserv at www.NEKCollaborative.org
