Press Conference: Lewis County celebrates launch of the new Hudson Valley Wireless broadband expansion
PORT LEYDEN & HARRISVILLE- Lewis County celebrated Tuesday the launch of their new Hudson Valley Wireless broadband expansion.
It means that the county is having success in covering people without access to high-speed and affordable broadband internet. It also means that a number of income-eligible residents will qualify for free installation of the equipment necessary to enable service at their homes.
Press conferences were held Tuesday in Leyden and Diana to observe the milestone. "Internet connectivity is a modern utility on par with electricity and water. It is critical that rural areas like Lewis County invest in broadband infrastructure to keep our community competitive and livable,” said Ryan Piche, Lewis County Manager.
“I am proud of the efforts we've made in Lewis County to serve our residents with this critical infrastructure. Few communities in the North Country have done as much to close the rural broadband gap as we have. It is also important that we thank our incredible partners in the Development Authority. Their expertise and leadership on this issue are invaluable to the region."
Listen to our latest on-air coverage here, including additional remarks from other officials who spoke during the press conferences:
For the last two years Lewis County has been working to expand broadband access to its residents to help ensure long-term access to affordable, quality internet.
The county has taken a hybrid approach, planning a variety of solutions for different parts of the county, depending upon what will likely work best.
With funding from NYS Homes & Community Renewal’s NYS Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the first phase of the broadband expansion is complete.
The first pair of towers to go live in Leyden and Diana are just the start of this project. Officials say Hudson Valley Wireless will expand its service area over the next year to include the towns of Harrisburg, Pinckney, Denmark, Lowville, and a portion of Montague.
The event also celebrates the launch of 27 free public Wi-Fi hotspots located in hamlets and villages throughout Lewis County, including Port Leyden and Harrisville.
While Hudson Valley Wireless will provide these free hotspots within their service areas, Lewis County Legislators endorsed a one-of-a-kind 3-year agreement with Spectrum to replicate this service throughout the entire County.
As part of its on-going broadband efforts, Lewis County was awarded $747,790 in funding through the State’s CDBG Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) program to expand broadband infrastructure in low to moderate-income communities within the county.
This project was completed below the anticipated budget, so Lewis County will be using the remaining grant funds to cover the cost of installation of customer equipment on a first-come, first-served basis for approximately 200 households that both live within the project area and are income-eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
In addition to receiving free standard installation and free equipment, subscribers that qualify for the ACP will also be eligible for the Microsoft Affordable Computer Initiative with laptop or desktop devices starting at $11.
To check the availability of high-speed Hudson Valley Wireless internet service in your area or to see if you are eligible for free Hudson Valley Wireless installation and equipment through the Affordable Connectivity Program, please visit Hudson Valley Wireless' website.
Image by Brian Trainor.
