(TNS) – South Carolina may soon have another way to solve the problem of half a million residents without access to high-speed Internet.
On Thursday, state lawmakers passed a bill that would allow electric cooperatives to rent space on existing power poles to broadband providers interested in expanding Internet access to communities in need.
“The project is a big step in the direction of bringing more broadband to more rural areas in our state, and I think that every county in our state has a poorly served rural area, so I think it affects us all,” said the state deputy. Mike Forrester, R-Spartanburg.
The bill now goes to SC Governor Henry McMaster’s desk. McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes said the governor would look at the bill that addresses a problem that the governor is interested in solving.
“This is obviously an important initiative that the governor has been talking about for some time, and we are extremely happy to see that the General Assembly agrees with him that it is an important issue that needs to be addressed comprehensively.” Symmes said.
According to the law, electric cooperatives and Santee Cooper, the state electricity concessionaire that supplies energy to cooperatives that primarily serve rural communities, can rent space on existing electric poles, in conduits and easements, to broadband providers for a reasonable price, prices and conditions, for the purpose of operating high-speed Internet lines. The legislation also allows the Public Service Commission, the state’s public service regulator, to hear and resolve any disputes.
The legislation also establishes a way for electricity cooperatives to expand broadband.
“Cooperatives are currently on the market in an unregulated manner and therefore (telecommunications companies) across the state, the Horry telephone in my area, are obviously concerned with the possibility of competing in an area that they have already served in” said the state senator Luke Rankin, R-Horry.
Operating underground lines can take longer to reach and is more expensive for telecommunications companies, Rankin said.
“Our goal is to try to encourage capital investment in the state, setting the payment for those who are not in business, (e) who would like to access existing posts to run wires, instead of burying cables as many are currently doing,” said Rankin.
Both chambers unanimously approved the bill this week.
“Expanded access equals expanded opportunity – something that every southern Carolinian deserves,” said House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington. “Today is a good day and a good start for South Carolina.”
The need for broadband and the lack of high-speed Internet access in certain parts of the state came to light during the COVID-19 pandemic, which generated greater demand for virtual education and telemedicine, in addition to more people working from home.
The Federal Communications Commission estimates that 650,000 South Carolinaians do not have access to broadband Internet, including more than 552,000 people living in rural areas and more than 97,000 people living in urban areas. An estimate to connect the remaining 192,000 households in the state without broadband puts the cost at $ 800 million.
The Office of Regulatory Staff, a state agency charged with providing Internet connections to needy residents of the state during the pandemic, has approved $ 50 million in broadband construction projects that it expects to be completed by December. Half of the cost of these projects is being paid by the state in dollars under the CARES Act. The other half will be paid by broadband providers. ORS estimates that more than 25,000 families and more than 1,000 companies that do not have access would be able to obtain the service.
During the debate on Thursday, state deputy Cezar McKnight, D-Williamsburg, said that broadband expansion has the potential to generate business in rural areas, but the issue needs to be regularly reviewed by the General Assembly to ensure that the entire state have access to broadband.
“The future economic success of this state is directly linked to the amount of broadband access we have in South Carolina,” said McKnight.
Some lawmakers are also working on proposals to inject more state money into broadband. A Republican lawmaker said this was the next necessary step.
State Representative Brian White, R-Anderson, said that next year lawmakers will try to get a grant program to help providers expand service to areas where it is not financially viable because there are not enough customers.
“Well, that would fill that gap and allow them to operate and provide that access to areas that are not served,” said White. “But before you can do that much, you need to have all the providers in the room. And this account put all the suppliers in the room and on the table … We built the car, now we have to put gas in it ”.
© 2020 The State, distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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