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Berks Alliance Community Forum: Expanding Broadband Access in Berks

by The Berks Alliance

Feb 01, 2022

One of the many things we have learned from our COVID experience is the vital importance of Internet Access.  Working and Schooling remotely have highlighted the importance of broadband access.  As with many regions across the country, we have learned, all too painfully, that many businesses and homes have no or very limited broadband access.  Coupled with the technology and educational challenges that confront many residents, the need to expand access to broadband services and the requisite technology has become increasingly clear.

Berks County, in collaboration with the Berks Alliance and its partners the Wyomissing Foundation and the United Way, has engaged a consultant to help develop a strategy to significantly improve this important infrastructure.  With significant funding available from the federal government, now is the time to deal with this challenge.

The consultant, Lit Communities and its partners, (Lit Communities) have worked in other regions of the country on similar efforts.  They worked with governmental and business leaders in York County to develop a plan to expand access across that county, building out the “middle mile” to allow businesses and residents to gain access.  Lit Communities will undertake a similar effort here in Berks County.

While there is some information about the deployment of broadband, the data is somewhat sketchy.  One of the first tasks that Lit Communities will undertake is doing a detailed survey of where high-speed internet is available and where it is not.  This will enable them to develop a strategy for building out the network, using the federal funds and other sources, with a goal of allowing virtually everyone in the county to access high speed service.

Coupled with other efforts underway through the Wyomissing Foundation to help ensure that at risk and high need residents have access to the technology and skills that they may need to make use of this resource, should mean that in the near future businesses and Berks residents will all be able to make use of this vital infrastructure.

Join us for this important community forum to learn more about this important project.

When: Feb 17, 2022 11:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrcOiqrjIiG9HjIFN1lHoKHdH95Dcg1tQw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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