Oneida County unveils $2M broadband project. Where is it going?

Nearly 1,000 homes and 2,600 residents in rural Oneida County are set to receive high speed internet service as part of $2 million in county broadband expansion projects.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr., joined by other elected officials, made the announcement Monday afternoon in the town of Vienna.

The item was on Wednesday's agenda for the Oneida County Board of Legislators monthly meeting.

“Broadband has been on everyone’s lips and minds for some time now, especially since the pandemic,” Picente said.

Picente noted stories of how some families during the pandemic – likely in the more rural parts of the county – had to drive around to find places where they could access high speed internet.

“That’s not the way it should be,” Picente said.

About the projects

The broadband expansion projects will span 10 areas, including six townships. The townships are Forestport, Ava, Boonville, Remsen, Augusta and Vienna.

Adirondack Techs, with nine project areas and Charter, with the remaining area, were the two internet service providers (ISP) chosen during a recent request for proposal process.

The $1,950,967 capital program also includes $150,000 in ISP investment, and nine of the 10 projects include a 2% revenue share to offset a percentage of the cost to the county.

Through an extensive mapping analysis between Oneida and Herkimer counties, Tug Hill Commission and Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, the Oneida County Department of Planning identified 2,079 Oneida County homes in approximately 32 project areas with clusters of 20 or more homes.

This first step will reach 46% of the unserved homes identified, the county said.

Oneida County offered municipalities an opportunity to partner financially and leverage the funding to expand coverage even further in their towns.

Picente made the expansion projects announcement in the town of Vienna, which was the only one to take advantage of that offer and led to the town securing $226,761 to service 111 homes.

“Since becoming Town Supervisor, the expansion of internet service is something I hear about most often from residents and was an issue I have looked to tackle since day one,” said Vienna Town Supervisor Michael M. Davis Sr. “I thank County Executive Picente for his commitment to this expansion and I look forward to working with the Department of Planning to bring internet access to over 100 homes in Vienna.”

The county expects Vienna to kick off the projects, with broadband coming within six months. The rest of the municipalities will receive broadband in stages, likely within the next two years.

How we got here

In 2018, the county finalized an Inventory of Broadband Assets that contained information regarding vertical assets, public and emergency facilities, commercial and industrial growth areas, downtown districts and other vital data to be utilized in developing a feasibility study for an expanded broadband internet network.

The county partnered with the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District to conduct a survey in the summer of 2021 to test internet speeds and assess the broadband needs of residents and businesses.

The survey was used to develop a map of 52 underserved areas of the county, each containing 25 or more homes that are without broadband internet.

The more rural parts of Oneida County have the most issues with broadband access, according to survey results.

Smartphone connectivity was classified underserved in the survey results, as it is not reliable.

In February, the county sought proposals from internet providers to better expand its broadband service into underserved areas, all part of a $2 million project.

The project money comes from the capital plan passed with Oneida County’s 2023 budget.

The broadband project was originally proposed for $5 million, but ultimately was reduced. More people are currently being served and there are state and federal programs the county can use in the future, officials said in November, when the budget was passed.

The county is using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money for the internet projects. The ARPA money must be used on projects, initiatives or programs that address issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Today’s announcement about the expansion of increased broadband access in Vienna is a welcomed and awaited one,” said Oneida County Legislator Norman Leach, R-3, in a statement. “Broadband service is critically important in today’s society. Students need it for their schoolwork. Adults need it to stay in touch with co-workers when out of the office or for telecommuting. And people of all ages need it for telemedicine.”

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Rural broadband access: Oneida County unveils $2M project