Group to propose solution to rural broadband challenge
One Sumter to announce local solution to provide rural broadband
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By Tessa Green
AMERICUS — For the past three years, the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation has been working to address the challenges of providing affordable high-speed internet to businesses in Americus and Sumter County. The group will announce its proposed solution on Tuesday.
Alex Saratsiotis, the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation chairman, said during the meeting the group will discuss its plan to work with the Georgia-based consulting company Civittium to identify a way to provide access of one gigabyte of service at a reasonable and affordable rate.
“When we launched One Sumter in 2014, the issue of broadband and the ability to provide quality, high-speed fiber connectivity at an affordable rate was of the utmost importance to our donors,” Saratsiotis said. “It’s probably the issue we continue to get the most questions about, and although it has taken a little longer than we anticipated, the announcement next week is the fulfillment of a commitment we made to our donors and our community.”
During their years of analysis, One Sumter has evaluated multiple solutions to the rural broadband challenge, looking at issues of reliability, redundancy and capacity. With the support of Civittium, the group created the Broadband Feasibility Committee, consisting of support from Sumter EMC and Georgia Power Company. The committee conducted meetings with local businesses and engaged existing service providers to share the feedback and proposals for expanded service. Throughout the process a larger Broadband Stakeholder group, consisting of 20 individuals representing different business interests, provided input, review and advice.
Rene Smith, the Senior Vice President of Operations at Sumter EMC and a One Sumter Board member, said that there has long been a need for rural broadband in order to facilitate economic growth. She said that through Sumter EMC’s partnership with Georgia Power, they are proud to serve as a model of how partnership, collaboration and determination can solve a public challenge.
“Our EMC has always had a goal of enabling economic development in the communities we serve,” Smith said. “And our involvement with One Sumter furthers this goal.”
One Sumter’s executive director, Mary Beth Bass, said that the announcement will mean a lot to the business community and will make Sumter County more competitive for new and expanding industries.
“The announcement is the celebration of a community working together to tackle its own needs,” Bass said. “Through the investment of our donors, we have a powerful story to tell, and we look forward to sharing that with our partners and stakeholders who made this possible.
A Fiber Connectivity Announcement and Groundbreaking Ceremony will take place at 706 E. Jefferson St. in Americus. It will be hosted by the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation. The announcement will begin at 10 a.m., and the public is encouraged to attend.
For more information on One Sumter, contact Mary Beth Bass at [email protected] or visit the group’s website at www.onesumter.org.
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