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WVBroadbandCouncil@wv.gov

TheWestVirginiaBroadbandEnhancementCounciliscommissionedtoenhancethedevelopmentofplans,processesandproceduresforextendingbroadbandaccessinto

underservedandunservedareasofthestate.

WhyTheSpeedTestMatters

AmessagefromWVBroadbandEnhancementCouncilChairmanRobertHinton

AsrequiredbySection706oftheTelecommunicationsActof1996,theFederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC)hasreleasedthe2018BroadbandDeploymentReport.

The 2018 report states that 82.2 percent ofWest Virginians have access to fixed, non-mobilebroadbandinternetspeeds.Notably,thereportalsoconcludesthatsevenWestVirginiacounties- Barbour, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Randolph and Upshur - have 100 percent fixedbroadbandaccess.

ThisfindingisbasedupontheFCC'sForm477data,asreportedbyinternetserviceproviders.Residentsinthesecountiescanreadilyidentifywherebroadbandservicedoesnotexist.

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Accordingly,theBroadbandEnhancementCouncilcontinuestopromoteitsSpeedTestPortal to measure internet speed on a personal level,where it reallymatters.Technologyat thecensusblock level isof littlevalueifitfailstotransfertoindividualuser.

While there are two sides to every coin, reports concerning theavailability of broadband can and should align more closely withreality. Residents across the State, and particularly in the sevencounties mentioned above, are urged to take the speed test to helpgenerateWestVirginia'sowndataset.

Accuratedataisattheheartofmostcriticaldecisions.AscommunitiesthroughoutWestVirginiaprepare tocompete forbroadbanddevelopment funding, theCouncilcontinues toadvocate forimprovedaccuracyinbroadbandreporting.

KeyFindingsOfTheFCC2018BroadbandDeploymentReport

TheFederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC)2018BroadbandDeploymentReportprovidesthefollowingtop-leveltakeaways:

The definition of broadband remainsunchanged.Mobile services are not fullsubstitutesforfixedservices.Mobile and fixed services must beevaluatedseparately.Broadband remains the FCC's toppriority.Approximately 30 percent ofAmericans in rural areas and 35percent of Americans in tribal landslackaccesstobroadband.Approximately 2 percent ofAmericans in urban areas lackaccesstobroadband.

According to the FCC report, approximately 82 percent of West Virginians have access tobroadband. With this percentage, West Virginia ranks 44th in the nation for percentage ofpopulationwithaccesstofixedbroadband.

NewsfromCapitolHill

TheWestVirginiaBroadbandEnhancementCouncilhasextendedinvitationstoWestVirginia'sCongressionalrepresentativestoprovideabroadband-relatedcolumntothisnewsletter.Columnswillbefeaturedastheybecomeavailable.

WestVirginiaNeedsToBeOnThePositiveSideOfTheDigitalDivideByU.S.SenatorJoeManchinIII(D-W.Va.)

WhenLyndonJohnsondeclaredwaronpovertyin1964,Appalachiawasisolatedfrommuchofthecountry.OneofthefirstthingshecreatedwastheAppalachianDevelopmentHighwaySystem,whichhasbroughtcommerceandcountlessopportunitiestotheregion.Unfortunately,anotherchallengeloomsahead.AsAmericahasvaultedintotheInternetAge,WestVirginiaremainsauniquelydifficultplaceforbroadbanddeployment.

Manyserviceproviderstellmethattheysimplycannotaffordtodeployhighspeedbroadbandservicetomanyofourcommunities.Ourbeautifulmountains,ourroilingrivers,oursmalltowns–somanyoftheverythingsweloveaboutourstate–alsomakeusmoreexpensivetoserve.Thisproblemisnotnew,andneitherarethesolutions.TheUniversalServiceFundwasoriginallyestablishedtoensurethateveryAmericanhadaccesstoatelephonebysubsidizingservicetoplacesthatwouldneverbeprofitabletoserve.WemustusethatsameapproachtodaytoensurethateveryAmericanhasaccesstohighspeedinternet.

BridgingthedigitaldividebetweenruralandurbanremainsoneofmytopprioritiesintheSenate.IamproudofthevariousbipartisanbillsthatIhaveauthoredandsupportedtoexpandhighspeedbroadbandtoallWestVirginians.Intheomnibusspendingbillthatpassedrecently,Iauthoredtwoprovisionsthatwillimprovetheaccuracyoftheofficialcoveragemapsthatdeterminewhichareasareservedandwhichareasarenot.Fortoolong,we’veallowedinaccuratemapstodivertfundingawayfromplaceslikeWestVirginiathattrulyneedsomehelp.

ARCPOWER:ConnectingAppalachiaToBroadbandFunds

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)POWER initiative is designed to assist areasaffectedbyjoblossesinthecoalindustry.ARCPOWER places a high priority on broadbanddevelopment projects. Eligible applicantsinclude states, counties, cities, as well asinstitutions of higher education, and nonprofitorganizations.

"ARC understands that broadband is vitallyimportanttotheeconomicfutureofAppalachia,"said Mark DeFalco, ARC TelecommunicationsManger. "As West Virginia takes major stepsforwardin itsbroadbanddevelopmentprogram,ARC stands ready to assist and help improveeconomicopportunitiesthroughouttheState."

ARC will accept applications through May 1.Clickhereformoreinformation.

USDAAnnouncesTwoBroadbandFundingOpportunities

TheRuralUtilityServices (RUS),anagencyofthe U.S. Department of Agriculture RuralDevelopment office, will accept broadbanddevelopment applications through itsCommunity Connect Grant Program until May14.

Grantsfrom$100,000to$3millionareavailableto state and local governments, federally-recognized tribes, nonprofits and for-profitcorporations. Applicants must provide a 15percent match. For more information, visit theCommunityConnectwebsite.

In addition, the USDA will accept applicationsfor Rural Broadband Access Loans and LoanGuarantees on a rolling basis throughSeptember 30, 2018. Applications will bereviewedandprocessedevery90days.

Those interested are encouraged to submitapplicationsassoonaspossible,especially forsmallerprojects.ApplicationsmustbesubmittedthroughtheRDApplywebportal.

CouncilPartnersWithBowlesRice

IamalsoproudtobeleadingtheefforttoensuretheFederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC)deliversonthepromiseofuniversalservice.IapplaudedlastAugustwhentheFCCheededmycallsandunanimouslyapprovedtheordertomoveforwardwiththeMobilityFundII,whichwillprovide$4.53billionovertenyearstoexpandmobilebroadbandcoverageacrossthecountry.Everystateandlocalgovernmentiseligibletoreviewthemapandsubmitachallengewhentheyseesomethingwrong.Thisprocessisabouttobegin,soIhavepressedtheFCCtomakeitaseasyaspossible.Weallbenefitfromaccuratemaps.

I’malsoworkingtoensurethatbroadbandserviceisextendedtomorepeopleintheMountainStatethroughtheRemoteAreasFund.LastJune,myfriendSenatorJerryMoran(R-KS)andIpushedtheFCCtomoveforwardwiththisprogramandstructureittosuccessfullyreach“aboveextremelyhigh-cost”areas–includingover12,000locationsinWestVirginia.Lastly,inthebipartisanbudgetagreementthatpassedtheHouseandSenateonFebruary9th,Ihelpedsecure$20billioninfundingforcriticalinfrastructurelikeruralbroadband,andtheomnibuswepassedincluded$600milliondedicatedforbroadbanddeploymentinrural,underservedareas.

Whilewehavemadesomestrides,thefactthatbroadbandremainsinaccessibletoroughly30%ofWestVirginiansshowsthereismuchmoreworktobedone.AllAmericansdeservefastandreliableinternetservicesowecancompeteintoday’sdigitalworld.AsyourSenator,IwillcontinuetoworkwithmycolleaguesonbothsidesoftheaisleandPresidentTrumptoensurethatwebridgethedigitaldivideandprovideinternetaccesstoWestVirginiaanditsneighborsthroughoutruralAmerica.

ToSupportBroadbandExpansion

The Broadband Enhancement Council hasformedapartnershipwithBowlesRice, LLPofCharleston, West Virginia. Under thepartnership, Bowles Rice will provide legalservicestotheCouncil insupportof itsmissiontoexpandbroadbandthroughoutWestVirginia.

Bowles Rice will assist the Council in theimplementation of its authorizing statutes withan eye toward innovation and economicdevelopment initiatives. "The Council'seconomic development initiatives are vitallyimportant, interesting and cutting-edge," saidPeter G. Markham, Bowles Rice SpecialCounsel. "We're eager to play a role in theCouncil'simportantworkandcurrentandfuturesuccess."

"Thispartnershipprovidesasolidfoundationfordevelopment and implementation of policiescreated by and through the BroadbandEnhancement Council," said Council ChairmanRobHinton. "Manyaspectsofourworkrequirethorough legal analysis.We know that BowlesRice is committed to the economic future ofWest Virginia, and this partnership is a majoradvantageaswemoveforward."

LegislaturePasses,Gov.SignsBillsRelatedtoBroadbandDevelopment

TheWestVirginiaLegislaturepassedthreebillsduring the 2018 Regular Session relatedtobroadbanddevelopment.The following threebills were signed into law by Governor JimJusticeonMarch27:

SenateBill445–ThisbillprovidesparametersforthestateDivisionofHighwaystoacquirerealor personal property for utility accommodation,includingbroadband.House Bill 4447 – The bill addressedbroadband conduit installation and wascommonlyreferredtoasthe"DigOncePolicy"bill.HouseBill 4629 –Thisbill updates languagerelatedtotheBroadbandEnhancementCouncil.House Bill 4357 - The "West Virginia SmallWireless Facilities Deployment Act" was notenacted by the Legislature due to concernsregarding local authority and utilization of thepublicright-of-way.

MapoftheMonthWyomingCounty

Each month, the Broadband EnhancementCouncilwillfeatureamapbasedupondetailingbroadband fixed wireline speeds based uponcurrentFCCdata.Allcountymapsareavailableto print, save and download at theCouncilwebsite.

WyomingCounty is the leadagency fora2018CDBGbroadbandplanning project. The projectwill result in the development of a plan toimprove broadband service in McDowell,Mercer, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers andWyoming counties. The Region I Planning andDevelopmentCouncilisthegrantadministrator.

WVConnected

ARCBroadbandDevelopmentWorkshopHeldInCharleston

Mark DeFalco, Telecommunications Manager,and Nancy Eyl, Assistant General Counsel, forthe Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC),lead a grant workshop at the West VirginiaDevelopmentOfficeonApril3toassistwiththedevelopment of applications to the WestVirginia's$3.2millionARCBroadbandInitiative.

MarkYourCalendar

Next Broadband EnhancementCouncilMeetings:Thursday, April 12, 2018; 10:00 a.m. StateCapitol,Building3,Suite800ConferenceRoom.

Clickontheimageforalargerview.

“The importance of broadband planning andinfrastructure for Wyoming County and thesurrounding region cannot be emphasizedenough,” said Jason Roberts, Region IExecutiveDirector.“WyomingCountyhastakenanecessary step inadvancing thepresenceofbroadband which will make the region muchmore competitive in attracting new businesseswhile boosting the operations of existingbusinesses.”

The Council urges commercial and residentialinternetusers inthisregiontotest their internetspeed through the West Virginia SpeedTestportal.

Data obtained through the speed test willsupport the pursuit of funding for broadbandinfrastructuredevelopment.

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ToreadpastWestVirginiaBroadbandEnhancementCouncilNewsletters,

clickhere.

Thursday, May 10, 2018; 10:00 a.m. StateCapitol,Building3,Suite800ConferenceRoom.

MountainStateLandUseAcademy:May 15-16, 2018, Adventures on the Gorge,Lansing.Formoreinformation,clickhere.

StateGISConference:June 11-14, 2018, Marriott Town Center,Charleston.Formoreinformation,clickhere.

WestVirginiaBroadbandInTheNews

WestVirginiaEditorUrgesFederalElectedOfficialsToActOnSloppyFCCData

FCCReportMisrepresentsWestVirginiaBroadbandAccess,ExpertsSay

WestVirginiaBecomesFirstStatetoTestMobileVotingbyBlockchaininaFederalElection

BroadbandFlawsInFCCDataMustBeFixed

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