| FLASHBACK 2008
Calhoun has high-speed in a number of radial circles around
Frontier sub-stations, still leaving gaps, but service is
really sparse in neighboring Gilmer, Roane and Wirt County
A mapping survey of broadband access in West Virginia shows huge coverage gaps in most rural areas of the state, despite claims that 80% of the state has access.
Mountain State politicians have proclaimed for well over a decade during technology summits, symposiums, and political rallies that broadband is at hand, if they have anything to do with it.
Despite all of those words about bringing folks into the 21st Century, high-speed Internet services have been concentrated on people in urban areas and rural areas have been left behind.
Gov. Joe Manchin has said his goal is to have high-speed in every West Virginia community by 2010.
Well, 2010 is here.
A number of countries around the world have lurched ahead of the US with access.
Calhoun, at least compared to many small, rural counties has available service within a three-mile radius of Frontier's sub-stations, but large gaps still exist, according to the map.
Regionally, Gilmer County has been left behind with only a small area around Glenville getting broadband from Verizon, and one other small area served by Frontier.
An ambitious $250,000 wireless broadband project launched in 2003
has failed to prove worthwhile, although Gilmer County philanthropist Ike Morris contributed over $100,000 to the project.
Roane and Wirt Counties have very sketchy coverage.
Broadband coverage is high along Interstate 64 between Huntington and Charleston and Interstate 79 between Weston and Morgantown. Coverage also is widespread in Berkeley, Jefferson and Mercer counties and in the Northern Panhandle.
In other parts of the state, large areas have no measurable coverage, according to the maps.
www.connectwestvirginia.org
Brian Mefford, chief executive officer of Connected Nation, said "Governor Manchin has done something that a lot of others haven't ... to bring together a unified push toward a common goal of broadband being identified as a critical component of economic development."
Also lagging, few if any improvements with cell phone service.
The Calhoun Commission has offered free access to cell phone outfits on the county's 911 towers. No takers.
Lingering in the memory bank, the big push in the 90s, saying broadband will bring rural America to the table as player to operate a business even in the remotest parts of the county.
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