Broadband Planning & Implementation

As the Regional Broadband Convener, Eastgate provides technical expertise and leadership for our communities in broadband planning, project identification, and project management. Beginning with the three county Regional Broadband Feasibility Study that was completed in 2021, Eastgate has worked tirelessly to improve the broadband standing of our region. We have focused on both last-mile and middle-mile projects, identifying unserved/underserved communities, building relationships with Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and partnering with community organizations such as the Oak Hill Collaborative to address digital equity and inclusion for our residents.

All of the initiatives have played a pivotal role in making tremendous progress over the last several years. With broadband deployment projects scheduled and underway in all three counties, Eastgate is committed to eliminating the digital divide that has existed in our rural and urban communities. Having brought on Reid Consulting Group to bolster the professional expertise of our Broadband Program, Eastgate is well positioned to assist our members in all things broadband. 

Broadband Connectivity Plans

Eastgate is pleased to announce that we have recently completed brand new Broadband Connectivity Plans for each of our three counties. This initiative was made possible by grants made to both Eastgate and our county partners from Connect Humanity, whose mission is to expand broadband access across the Appalachian footprint. These plans are directed at ensuring our region's readiness for the State of Ohio's $793 million in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding that should become available in 2025. In the various county plans, project areas are identified where last-mile broadband deployment is needed and will be targeted for funding through BEAD programming. Each county has also taken into consideration and we place a significant emphases on digital equity programs that will assist their residents who are seeking access to training course, low and/or not cost devices such as laptops and tablets, and overall assistance in identifying the ISP that is right for their unique household needs. 

Fiberhoods

Recently completed by Reid Consulting Group as part of the Connect Humanity Initiative, "Fiberhoods" are communities that are potential targets for fiber-to-the-home deployment. Within this study, we find numerous Eastgate Region communities that are included as part of a larger group of Ohio communities that participated in the Connect Humanity project. This information will pay dividends as we continue to plan for and work with our regional Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as they continue to deploy broadband fiber. 

Ohio Fiberhood Workbook

 

2021 Broadband Study

The Eastgate Regional Council of Governments conducted a Regional Broadband Feasibility Study to evaluate Broadband Internet Service throughout Ashtabula, Trumbull, and Mahoning Counties.

Read Study 

Broadband Study Kickoff Livestream - Tuesday, June 29th at 1:30pm

State Route 11 Engineering Analysis

Eastgate is advancing the Regional Broadband Feasibility Study recommendation to deliver robust communications infrastructure to the region. The end goal is to bring reliable, high-speed broadband internet access to residents, businesses, and key project stakeholders in the region and eliminate the current digital divide.

This implementation plan builds upon the feasibility study and facilitates a plan for the build-out of an open-access middle-mile fiber optic cable backbone within Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana Counties. This middle-mile network will be constructed along State Route 11 (SR-11) utilizing the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) right-of-way (ROW) from the approximate limits of Lake Erie (Ashtabula County) to the Ohio River (Columbiana County). 

Read The Implementation Plan

Broadband Accessibilty Maps

Ashtabula

Trumbull

Mahoning

Columbiana

Broadband News

Ashtabula County Selected For BroadbandOhio Community Accelerator Program

8/28/2023

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik today announced that seven teams from nine counties will participate in the second cohort of the BroadbandOhio Community Accelerator program.

The program, which is aimed at helping communities create localized broadband expansion plans, is led by the Ohio Department of Development's BroadbandOhio and The Ohio State University Extension Office. Participating communities receive individualized support to identify broadband goals, gather data, understand available funding options, target capital dollars to support implementation, and expand workforce development.

“Empowering our communities with tools to effectively embrace broadband expansion is not just an investment in technology, but an investment in the collective growth of our great state,” said Governor DeWine.

The participating teams for this round of the Accelerator program include teams from Ashtabula County, Henry County, Lucas County, Monroe County, Paulding County, Union County, and a combined team representing Hocking, Athens, and Perry counties.

"In a world driven by connectivity, the ability to make the most of these resources is more than an advantage – it’s a necessity for participating in the modern economy,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “The expertise gained through the Community Accelerator program will help local communities with their broadband expansion goals, providing more opportunity for the Ohioans living in these regions.”

Graphic with text showing the communities chosen for the Community Accelerator Program

“At the heart of every successful broadband expansion project are the community leaders working tirelessly to close the digital divide at the local level,” said Director Mihalik. “We’ve already seen how this program has inspired the teams that participated in last year’s cohort, and we’re looking forward to even more success stories coming from this second group in the near future.”

Four teams participated in the inaugural cohort of the Accelerator program last year made up of 50 representatives from 11 counties across the state.

“We consider broadband essential infrastructure, just like water and electric services, but it is a complex issue and understanding the barriers we face in our region was a challenge,” said Gina Collinsworth, who led the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC) team representing Adams, Brown, Clermont, Lawrence, Scioto and Vinton counties last year. “In addition to all the helpful education and expertise we gained through the program, the testimonies from people in communities with proven, on-the-ground successes were the most valuable. The examples they brought to the group helped us visualize how to apply their solutions in our own communities. Now, one year later, we are seeing success stories in our own region.”

“The BroadbandOhio Community Accelerator program changed everything for the future of Tuscarawas County,” said Marla Akridge, executive director of the Tuscarawas County Economic Development Corporation, a 2022 cohort participant. “Thanks to this program, we have goals, plans, processes, and a strong vision of the need for broadband in our communities.”

The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio’s people, places, and businesses. Learn more about our work at development.ohio.gov.


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