Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on Tuesday announced a new round of broadband expansion that will be focused in the central portion of the state.
The new project, which is being carried out through a partnership with Ocmulgee EMC and Conexon Connect, will provide high-speed fiber broadband service to roughly 8,000 individuals.
The expansion will be funded by a $19 million grant from the American Rescue Plan Act and will likely take 2-4 years to complete.
“When I ran for governor in 2018, I promised to bring opportunity to all Georgians, no matter their zip code,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “We’ve seen vast expansions of broadband internet access across rural Georgia, connecting our citizens to a wide network of resources and opening doors. I commend Ocmulgee EMC and Conexon for this exciting public-private partnership and their commitment to creating value for their communities.”
The project will reach residents in five counties: Laurens, Dodge, Bleckley, Pulaski and Telfair.
“With the addition of the Ocmulgee EMC fiber network, Conexon will be building 200 miles a week in the state, making service available to previously unserved rural Georgia at a pace of 1,000 to 2,000 homes a week. I know there are others building in Georgia, but there’s a difference between these Connect projects and nearly all the others. These networks are owned by the people we serve. The funding support provided by the state is money that goes back to the people who live here. I expect the Ocmulgee EMC network, like the other EMC projects, will become a model for the rest of the state and the nation,” added Conexon Partner Jonathan Chambers.
Previously, a similar partnership spent $210 million to connect 80,000 Georgians.
Kemp’s announcement comes as he is set to take on Democrat Stacey Abrams in the November elections.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Brian Kemp” by Brian Kemp.
