State Senator Fully Supportive of Frontier's Webster County Internet Expansion Bid

State Senator Gregory Tucker, of Summersville, is fully supportive of the Webster County fiber optic Internet upgrade bid recently made by Frontier Communications.

State Senator Greg Tucker

As previously reported, Frontier placed a $8.3 million dollar broadband Internet expansion project bid with the State's Broadband Deployment Council.  Frontier seeks to use federal stimulus funds to provide some of the highest Internet speeds in the State to some 3,700 homes in Cowen, Webster Springs, and Hacker Valley.

Senator Tucker, whose district includes Webster County, believes there is a good possibility that the project will be funded.  Contacted briefly yesterday by the Commentator, Tucker said that only a few hurdles remain before it can receive approval from the Broadband Council.

The Council has been responsible for assigning over $126.3 million stimulus dollars across the State of West Virginia for high speed Internet expansion.  The Council must finish the project by February, 2013, or risk losing unspent funds. West Virginia was awarded the $126.3 million in federal stimulus money in 2010.  In its bid, Frontier believes it can complete the Webster County project by January 31, 2013.

If the project is funded, Senator Tucker hopes that by having some of the highest Internet speeds in the State, Webster County will be more attractive to landing technology and Internet related businesses.  He suggested that the County's business park near Cowen would be ideally suited to attract high tech business that depend on fast Internet speeds.  Tucker said he has already voiced his support for the project and believes an announcement on Frontier's bid will be forthcoming shortly.

Members of the Council considering Frontier's bid include:

Judge Dan O'Hanlon, Chair, Vice Chancellor of Higher Education Policy Commission, and Designee for Cabinet Secretary Keith Burdette; Erica Mani, Vice Chair, Governor's Office, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Designee for Governor Earl Ray Tomblin; George "Lee" Fisher, Public Member (Rural communities); Jeff Forbes, Public Member; Jan Fox Ph.D., Marshall University,Senior Vice President for IT/CIO, and Representing higher or secondary education; Jimmy Gianato, Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Director, and Ex-officio member; Gale Given, West Virginia Office of Technology, Chief Technology Officer, and Designee for Cabinet Secretary Ross Taylor; Elaine Harris, Communication Workers of America, International Representative, Representing employees of communication and cable providers and/or communication workers union; Michael Kelemen, Suddenlink Communications, Director of Government Relations, and representing cable operators; Jorea Marple, State Superintendent of Schools, and Ex-officio member; Jim Martin, Citynet, President and CEO, and Representative of competitive local exchange carriers who provide services in this state; James Nestor, Lumos Networks, Director of Public Affairs, and Representative of the interests of the business community in this state; Dana Waldo, Frontier Communications, Senior Vice President and General Manager of West Virginia, Representing incumbent local exchange carriers who provide broadband services in the state; Jeff Wise, Enterasys Networks Inc., Senior Systems Engineer for West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania, Representing broadband equipment manufacturers; State Senator Bob Williams; State Senator Bob Beach; Delegate Dale Stephens; and Delegate Brent Boggs.