ABOVE: Vermilion Advantage CEO Mike Marron and Bill Coleman from the Benton Institute for Broadband in Society chat after Wednesday morning session at DACC’s Bremer Center.
A Wednesday morning (April 24th) meeting at Danville Area Community College’s Bremer Center focused on getting broadband internet service to all of Vermilion County. Bill Coleman from the Benton Institute for Broadband in Society says maps are showing much of Vermilion County, rural areas especially, as being in either the “unserved” or “underserved” category. But Coleman says long term initiatives are underway for grants to come to local areas, with the goal of being able to hire providers to install this much needed broadband service.
AUDIO: Federal funding that’s coming down the past through the State of Illinois to attract broadband providers to invest in your county to resolve that issue. We know that the state has their broadband plan. I think it’s been just recently approved by the federal government. We expect that this summer the application process will begin.
Consistent broadband service could really improve the day to day lives of Vermilion County farmers. The Farm Bureau’s Tom Fricke says if you have not taken that survey asking about your current broadband internet situation, please go to www.vcfb.info, or stop by the Farm Bureau office at 1905 Route 150 West in Danville. Fricke says there is a finish line for getting this done, but there’s a long way to go. And helping complete the survey can explain a lot.
AUDIO: What service is out there; what isn’t out there. And so knowing how big the total picture is is the first step in getting it. Yes, there’s a finish line; and I think that grants are in place to be able to provide broadband internet service across the county. But it’s not anything that’s going to happen this decade.
The meeting was hosted by Vermilion Advantage, and CEO Mike Marron says it’s one major step after another.
AUDIO: Gathering data; and then applying for the federal and state funding opportunities that are available. And then, of course, you actually have to get providers that are willing to build, and then you have to build out. But I’m very confident. We’ve had a wonderful response from the community. This is the first part of a long process.
For more information, you can reach out to Vermilion Advantage at 217-442-6201.
