$4.2M fiber broadband internet dedicated in Wetzel County

More than 1,900 households in Wetzel and Harrison counties will now have the option to purchase broadband internet service thanks to the installation of 87 miles of new fiber cable.

The project began about five years ago via a partnership between U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., the Regional Economic Development Partnership, USDA ReConnect, Wetzel County Commission, Citynet and civil engineers Thompson & Litton.

A dedication of the new broadband internet service was held Thursday at the Wetzel County 4-H Campgrounds in New Martinsville.

Officials who spoke about the project included Josh Jefferson, president of RED; Lisa Heasley, president of the Wetzel County Commission and RED board member; Jim Martin, president and CEO of Citynet; Richard Jenkins, general field representative for USDA Rural Development; Ryan Thorn, state director for West Virginia USDA Rural Development; Roseann Ferro, representative for U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., and Capito.

Capito noted that many people take having internet access for granted. But a lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns, she said, is that having internet access is not just a convenience, but “absolutely essential” in people’s lives – for school and work.

When schools were closed during COVID, students who did not have internet access at home fell behind, and that was not fair, she said.

The eventual goal is to have internet access for everyone in the state.

“We have great hopes that every business, individual and home will be connected,” she said.

Citynet, based in Bridgeport, has already started signing up new customers. At the campgrounds, they had a table set up with employees ready to do just that. Citynet’s fiber internet service prices start at $73 per month. Phone service can be added for another $20 per month. The company also offers TV packages.

“Now what’s left are the very rural areas and we’re going to get to them,” Capito said following the dedication. “But it has to be a partnership like we see today.”

Capito said families who need help paying for internet services can get it.

“There was a plan we started during COVID, the Affordable Connectivity Plan, which does help people with their bills. But if it makes any sense at all as more and more deployment of broadband occurs costs will come down. That’s our hope,” she said.

The new fiber internet cable was installed mostly along existing utility poles with some new poles installed. Some sections of cable had to be installed underground.

The project was funded via $2.1 million in USDA ReConnect grant funds, matched by the Wetzel County Commission, bringing the total investment to $4.2 million. The fiber network serves a 48-square-mile area, providing high-speed internet to 1,909 households, five educational facilities, one health care center, and nine community facilities. Communities along this new corridor include Hundred, Knob Fork, Porter Falls, Reader, Pine Grove, Hastings, Smithfield and Folsom in Wetzel County, and Wallace, Dola, Meadowbrook and Bridgeport in Harrison County.

Through RED, Wetzel County was awarded the USDA’s ReConnect 50/50 loan/grant combination, covering the entire cost of the project.

Jefferson explained their organization’s interest in the project.

“Because of the significant effort and commitment of our federal delegation and following the lead of our partners at the Wetzel County Commission, we collectively identified this lack of infrastructure as a major priority,” he said. “West Virginia cannot foster opportunities for remote work, small business growth, education, and health care access without reliable broadband. These tremendous partners and this wonderful community have made today’s project a reality.”

Martin also expressed his enthusiasm for the project.

“We are incredibly proud to be a critical part of this exciting initiative. Citynet’s work on this project is at the core of our mission: to bring affordable, reliable broadband internet across West Virginia,” Martin said. “This is another important step toward that goal. While these funds are designated for specific routes, our goal is to expand fiber outside of the grant project’s scope once we satisfy the service requirements of the specific grants.”