County officials stress public-private
partnerships are essential to bridging the digital divide
ATLANTA, July 23,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During last week's National
Association of Counties Annual Conference & Exposition, Cox
Communications partnered with Broadband Communities to convene
various county elected officials to discuss rural broadband
expansion challenges and opportunities during a reception and
Digital Equity Dialogue event.
Key Takeaways:
- Deploying broadband to rural areas has a direct impact on the
economic vitality of counties.
- County officials seek to partner with organizations that
prioritize affordability and digital literacy.
What's More: Feedback from county officials at
the event aligned with a recent Cox survey which
polled customers and community leaders in areas previously unserved
or underserved with high-speed internet.
Survey respondents indicated that the availability of high-speed
internet in new market areas:
- Stimulates economic growth in rural communities;
- Narrows the education gap between lower- and higher-income
households; and
- Encourages younger generations to remain in their communities,
with greater prospects of remote learning and working.
Additionally, 86% of consumers say access to broadband has
improved their lives.
Partnerships Drive Connected Communities: When asked what
county officials can do to make rural broadband expansion projects
successful during a panel discussion at the Rural Action Caucus
meeting, Commissioner Ron Burrows,
Rogers County, Oklahoma said,
"Work with someone who already has a plan and has done the work to
solve the problem and will help you get to the finish line. As we
talked to all the providers in our area, we were really impressed
with Cox because they already had a plan for how they were going to
solve it."
Affordability is Key to Connectivity: Brad Randall, Editor at Broadband Communities
said, "As we heard from county leaders from across the country,
affordable connectivity can be a crucial element when it comes to
addressing poverty in America. Internet service providers that
offer commitments to affordability are investing in America and
will be well-positioned to secure partnerships with states,
counties, and local governments that are serious about providing
opportunity to their constituents. I applaud Cox for their
willingness to listen and deliver solutions that help all
thrive."
How We Contribute: Cox is continuing its commitment to
digital equity by expanding its fiber-to-the-home network to rural
and hard-to-reach areas that previously lacked an adequate
broadband connection. In the past year and a half, the company has
expanded to reach over 60,000 households in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Virginia that were previously
unserved1 or underserved, with the aim of creating
greater opportunities for economic and educational advancement
through connectivity.
In the last decade, Cox has invested nearly $12
billion in its fiber-powered network, bringing access and
choice to communities across all its markets.
In addition to expanding broadband to areas previously unserved,
Cox has connected more than 5 million people to the internet
through its affordability and digital equity programs
including Connect2Compete, ConnectAssist and the Cox Digital
Academy designed for low-income households.
About Cox Communications
Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of
human connection through technology. As the largest private
broadband company in America, we operate fiber-powered
networks in more than 30 states, providing connections and advanced
managed IT and cloud services for nearly seven million homes and
businesses nationwide. We're dedicated to empowering others to
build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people,
suppliers, communities and the characteristics that make each one
unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox
Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by
Governor James M. Cox.
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1 "Unserved" locations
are defined as having broadband service with speeds below
25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload and "underserved" is
defined as having broadband service with speeds below 100 Mbps
download and 20 Mbps upload. Section 60102(a)(1), Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act. Nov. 2021.
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SOURCE Cox Communications