(41NBC/WMGT) — Ocmulgee EMC is planning to partner with Conexon Connect in order to provide more Georgians in rural areas high-speed fiber broadband service.
According to a release from Governor Kemp, Conexon Connect is an internet service provider, that in teaming up with Ocmulgee EMC–which provides several counties with powerlines and more, plans to launch and deploy a network that could span up to 2,100 miles of fiber-to-the-home, high speed internet access to up to 8,000 people within the Laurens, Dodge, Bleckley, Pulaski, and Telfair county areas.
The funding behind this project comes from the $19 million grant through the American Rescue Plan Act. The ultimate goal of the project is to provide all of Ocmulgee EMC’s membership with fiber internet, if funding allows.
Ground will be broken in September of 2022 to begin this process, that is expected to take 2 to 4 years– with the first customers being connected as early as 2023.
Governor Kemp had this to say about the project:
“When I ran for Governor in 2018, I promised to bring opportunity to all Georgians, no matter their zip code,” and, “We’ve seen vast expansions of broadband internet access across rural Georgia, connecting our citizens to a wide network of resources and opening doors. I commend Ocmulgee EMC and Conexon for this exciting public-private partnership and their commitment to creating value for their communities.”
