Rural Broadband Funding Solutions
ETCOG has been seeking rural broadband funding solutions for the East Texas Region since 2009.
In 2019, ETCOG was awarded $375,000 by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support the development of a regional broadband strategic plan for its 14-county East Texas Region.
Nuestra estrategia
ETCOG, through its East Texas Economic Development District (ETEDD), received funding from EDA to develop a grassroots regional broadband strategic plan. The grant will help the region capitalize on its strengths and opportunities related to long-term economic development, create or enhance an environment conducive to job growth, and improve infrastructure and overall community development to improve the quality of life. We launched this project in the winter of 2020 with the help of our contractors, TDC2 as a primary consultant and Design Nine as our broadband network planner.
With the $375,000 grant, ETCOG and its local economic development partner agencies have committed to an additional investment of $161,000 in local matching funds, for total project funding of $536,000.
Project Approach
ETCOG is taking a grassroots approach, as outlined in the grant application, to build a regional broadband strategic plan. The project will include a survey of the business community within each county to establish a list of critical broadband needs. ETCOG staff will be working with each county to rank and prioritize projects that are proposed by business leaders and broadband providers to address the identified needs. Top rated projects in each county will be included within the final plan complete with associated budgets required to implement each project. 
Next steps
Collect Data
Pronto recopilaremos información de los texanos del este sobre su capacidad de Internet. Visite pronto para realizar nuestra prueba de velocidad y contribuir con sus datos.
Foros regionales
Our team will conduct two regional forums in the coming months to gain feedback. Stay tuned for details on how to join the events!
Local Planning
Decisions for this project will be discussed and ranked with local elected officials. Our Executive Committee meets monthly, and the East Texas Economic Development District will meet as needed to keep this project moving.
Completed so far...
1. Regional Forums
We hosted four introductory virtual forums for stakeholders and service providers.
2. Mapeo de la infraestructura
Se completa el mapeo para identificar la infraestructura de fibra, las torres y la demografía para los 14 condados condados.
3. Kits de inicio del condado
Hemos desarrollado y distribuido un kit de inicio para ayudar a los líderes locales con la identificación de proyectos en los condados.
4. Partnering with ISPs
Partnerships have been forged with five Internet Service Providers to coordinate infrastructure mapping, and our team is in discussions with six more providers.
5. Project Identification Meetings
Initial project identification meetings have been held in all 14 counties.
6. Project Identification
Preliminary projects have been identified in eight counties: Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Rains, Rusk, Van Zandt, and Wood.
Meet Our Team
We are here to assist with questions and to help facilitate the broadband strategic planning in your area. Don't hesitate to contact us!
CHUCK VANDERBILT
Gerente de Desarrollo Económico y Comunitario
LYNDA DAVID
Economic Development
Specialist
DANIEL SEGUIN
Regional Disaster Economic Recovery Coordinator
