Broadband
Transportation & Infrastructure
Broadband
Connecting Our Communities to the Broadband Network
Broadband has become essential to business, education, healthcare, agriculture, and overall quality of life. Unfortunately, high-speed internet access remains out of reach for Georgians in many rural communities in the River Valley Region. The challenge of maintaining and expanding the region’s broadband system is greater than ever, as the area’s population is expected to increase, bringing more people and businesses.
Regional Broadband Planning
The River Valley Regional Commission, as the region’s federally designated development organization, works with local and state agencies and local governments to develop and manage comprehensive broadband expansion through the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative. This includes a Georgia State Broadband Plan to identify, evaluate, and recommend options which can be implemented by governments and providers.
Broadband in the
River Valley Region
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The purpose of the Broadband Ready Community Designation is for a community to demonstrate that a local unit of government has taken steps to reduce obstacles to broadband infrastructure investment. RVRC is helping local governments amend their comprehensive plans to include the promotion of the deployment broadband services and adopt a model ordinance in order to become eligible to apply for a Broadband Ready Community Designation. See the list of updated communities here.
In 2019, RVRC conducted a regional survey to determine the reach of broadband in the River Valley. In line with what rural communities across Georgia experience, many parts of the region have slow or no broadband at all. To see the survey results, click here.
In 2020, RVRC conducted a regional survey with the help of Georgia Tech and EDA through the College’s Economic Development Research Program to further examine broadband needs in the region. To see the survey results, click here.
To see what broadband currently looks like in our region, please visit this map at Georgia’s Broadband Development Site.