With Pennsylvania’s unofficial state flower (the traffic cone) in bloom along many of our major roadways, some areas of the county have seen it appear in their own neighborhoods. Throughout the county, a number of communities are seeing broadband companies install new Fiber Optic lines.
I already have internet, why is this important?
For high-speed broadband, many areas throughout Berks County are limited in options or may not have a provider who can provide high-speed and affordable internet. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program is one of the driving forces behind the effort to expand broadband coverage. This is a Federal Government program which provided funding to all 50 states. Pennsylvania received $1.16 Billion to support increasing the access of high-speed internet across the state. For Berks County, we have rural areas which have limited access to internet, however, this issue is not unique to the rural areas. The City of Reading also has limited fiber infrastructure. Working with providers to fill the coverage gaps is a top priority and outlined in the Berks County Broadband Plan
How fast does our internet need to be?
Often times, internet speeds that are advertised feel more like a gimmick than a need. However, in the BEAD guidelines 100/20, or 100 Mbps for download speed and 20 Mbps for upload speed, any area below this threshold is considered underserved. These speeds help represent a standard needed for everyday life in a digitally connected society. Netflix and streaming apps are not the only thing people use broadband for. Working from home, homework for students, and telehealth visits with doctors are all applications which need reliable broadband. As we work on improving the access to internet, these speeds help shape the method of broadband needed and fiber is the gold standard.
Why doesn’t everywhere have fiber?
Laying new fiber cable underground can be prohibitively expensive Fiber costs anywhere $5,000 to $20,000 per mile of underground cable. Without state or federal funding, those costs are passed on to the consumer potentially making internet service unaffordable. Grants can help offset the cost of installation so the user only pays for the service, not the infrastructure. In areas where fiber can be difficult to install, there are other options that can be taken after the expansion of the fiber network is completed. Fixed Wireless solutions use towers and satellite dishes to “beam” internet directly to a home or business. The issues with these services are often the lower speeds and higher costs than a similar fiber internet provider. The County views this as a way to help fill in any gaps that fiber is not able to close.
Stay Connected
So if you see work underway in your neighborhood, it is always best to reach out to your local municipality to ask questions. Often times the municipality knows what area the crews are going to be working in and there may be a notice provided on their website. To keep up to date with all that is going on with Broadband throughout Berks County, use www.BCDigitalEquity.org.