FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. — In rural Floyd County, Spectrum expanded broadband access to 412 homes and businesses.
"Broadband is utility," Floyd County Commissioner John Schellenburger said Friday. "It's similar to water, that it is to electricity. We have to have broadband in our homes in order for us to be successful here in Indiana."
Local leaders are calling this internet access crucial to the community's economy and quality of life.
"Improvements to broadband are going to help me at home," Brandon Alexander, the Highlander Protection District EMS division chief, said. "I've got kids. Kids love to stream."
Alexander sees impacts at his home away from home too.
"Also in the fire service, as most industries, things are becoming very technology heavy," Alexander said. He said that their mapping apps, which direct them to the location of the incident, at the firehouse are web based.
Alexander said both the firehouse and his home in Floyd Knobs got broadband a few years ago.
"Before, it was hit or miss on whether or not you could even get on the internet," Alexander said.
Now, stakeholders and local leaders are celebrating expanded internet access in Floyd County at a ribbon cutting.
Schellenburger said broadband will improve the local economy.
"You've got a lot of businesses coming in and a lot of workers are working remotely," Schellenburger said.
Schellenburger also said expanded internet access will aid students who are remote learning or residents who may use telehealth services.
Heather Day, with Spectrum, said the company has connected over 29,000 Indiana homes and businesses this year.
"It's really just stretching outside of the city center footprint, so that everyone has the same access whether you're in the city limits or outside of those limits," Day explained.
Schellenburger said his goal is to have broadband "border to border" in Floyd County, and that broadband access for communities in Georgetown and Floyd Knobs will come next.
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