JACKSON
⢠Rural Mississippians with slow or nonexistent internet connections could get relief under two bills moving through the Legislature.
House Bill 942 would allow internet companies to lease out existing or planned âdark fiberâ lines operated by Entergy and Mississippi Power to run the electric grid. The legislation easily passed Tuesday and follows a similar proposal, Senate Bill 2798, which cleared the opposing chamber last week.
âWe need to have broadband in every home,â Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann told reporters last week.
Lawmakers from both chambers are now expected to negotiate on at least one key provision included in the House bill, which could limit how many communities would ultimately benefit and receive the faster internet.
Internet service to come to more people in MS
A Public Service Commissioner explained the FCC is giving internet providers in the state money to provide internet access to more people who live in rural areas.
Posted: Dec 15, 2020 8:06 PM
Posted By: Bronson Woodruff
STATEWIDE, Miss. (WTVA) Good news for Mississippi: broadband internet service will soon be available for people in the state thanks to funding from the Federal Communications Commission. This is the largest amount of money that’s ever been invested in our state,” Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley said.
He said a spokesperson for the FCC made an announcement last week: the FCC will give $495 million from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to internet providers in the state so they can bring internet to those who don’t have a way to access the web, unless they visit places with public WIFI, such as McDonald’s.