Singing River EPA: Bring Broadband to 100% of US

Congratulations! You, the members, have spoken and partially succeeded in this effort to get Singing River Bring Broadband to 100% of US.

Bottom Line: “SRE’s Board of Directors have approved a plan to build its first fiber project, including a 400-mile fiber ring connecting all the co-op’s substations and offices, and participate in its first fiber-to-the-home pilot project. Future broadband expansion to other areas is dependent on the success of the pilot.”

Next: "SRE will identify the pilot location in the March 2021 Today in Mississippi magazine. Members in the project area will be given instructions on how and when to sign up for service."

Details: https://singingriver.com/broadband/

Please go to the Singing River website www.singingriver.com and vote to amend SRE’s Certificate of Incorporation to allow broadband. It is open until October 5 and your vote includes a chance to win up to $500.

Broadband Benefit: According to a 2018 study by the NRECA, "households in co-op service areas that don’t have broadband would receive an annual average of nearly $2,000 each in economic benefits—more than $12 billion total—if they had access." The benefits to households include but are not limited to "improved health care, online learning opportunities, increased productivity for local businesses, higher housing values, and consumer savings through access to more products from competitive online sellers." Source: https://www.electric.coop/issues-and-policy/broadband/

You’re not alone.

“For about half of Americans, high-speed internet - a modern necessity, especially now during the COVID pandemic - is either unavailable or unaffordable.”

Poor oversight and accountability could be partially to blame.

"The FCC has now, for well over a decade, paid out tens of billions of dollars to rural broadband companies to build internet access in places where there isn't any," Sohn said. "And the fact of the matter is, is that the government has gotten a very, very poor return on its investment. This FCC has not done a very good job of demanding that these companies tell us what they've actually built with the money they've got."

Source: CBS News

Story: The great broadband divide: Living without high-speed internet access

Link to Story: https://cbsn.ws/3fmOKs0

FYI. MoveOn Petitions is an open tool that anyone can use to post a petition advocating any point of view. Please don't let the views of the MoveOn organization discourage or distract anyone from the singular focus and purpose of this petition, which is asking the EPA to provide broadband internet to our rural areas.

Almost 500 new signatures in less than 24 hrs. Thanks for sharing with friends and family.

Updating petition to include Perry County residents that use Singing River, per Kendra P. and Rocky W. comments.