HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — Broadband internet service in West Virginia could soon be improving.

 

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said hundreds of million in federal bipartisan infrastructure funds are coming to the Mountain State, and some of that will be earmarked for upgrading broadband internet service.

 

Capito said some West Virginians continue to have difficulty connecting to the internet.

 

"We got a real problem, but we have an opportunity to fix it," she said.

 

That opportunity, she said, is because of the bipartisan infrastructure package federal dollars coming to West Virginia, so now she is holding meetings across the state to learn more about West Virginia's internet issues. Alison Ibarra owns a business in Oak Hill.

 

"You go down the hill on Route 61 in the area where we are located the next big thing you run into a mile down the road there is no internet whatsoever," Ibarra said. "Even if you have the money for internet, you can't get it. It's just not an option."

 

During the pandemic Ibarra said she set up free Wi-Fi in her parking lot.

 

"The challenge is so real to the extent that we at times had buses in our parking lot with children who were coming out of the hollers to have a place where they could do their homework," Ibarra said.

 

Ibarra was one of a handful of business owners to meet with Capito about their internet issues this week. Her office continues to hear about internet problems throughout West Virginia

"It's kind of all over the board but the bottom line theme is under service, overly expensive or no service at all," Capito said. "A lot of people we are hearing from say 'I'm mapped' and they say 'I have great service' when in actuality they don't."

 

She is expecting the money from the federal government to arrive later this year.

 

"It really is coming. I would say at the end to get to the last house last business is going to take a couple years, but I think the bulk of the issues will be answered within 18-24 months," Capito said.

 

The senator said fixing internet problems are one of her top priorities, because it is a quality of life and safety issue.

 

To submit your internet problem story to Capito's office, click here.