CARROLLTON — A project initiated four years ago to provide fiber internet to the rural areas of Greene County is set to commence construction shortly, following the finalization of agreements between Frontier Communications and the Greene County Economic Development Group.
The Economic Development Group has collaborated with Frontier for several years, beginning when the communications company first secured funding for a project in Carrollton. Subsequently, Greene County Economic Development Group obtained $24.7 million in funding from Connect Illinois to assist with the construction expenses for four fiber broadband initiatives.
Pat Pinkston, an advisor for the Greene County Economic Development Group, remarked that the process of establishing agreements has been lengthy but essential to ensure that residents of the county gain access to dependable internet services.
“Every aspect of our lives is enabled and empowered by the internet,” Pinkston stated. “Certain facets of individuals’ lives rely heavily on having consistent access to the internet.”
Fiber broadband, funded by Frontier, has already been installed in Carrollton, with projects anticipated to be completed shortly in White Hall and Roodhouse. From these locations, the initiatives will expand, aiming to provide fiber broadband services to a significant portion of the county through Frontier.
“We are on track to serve over 4,500 locations throughout the county by the end of 2026,” Pinkston noted. “The grants were announced early last year, and the agreements were finalized last month, allowing us to proceed with the project.”
Frontier will finance the fiber installation for the primary areas of Carrollton, White Hall, and Roodhouse, while the grant will cover expenses for the rural sections of the county.
Each community will function as a wire center for its surrounding rural areas, enabling residents to activate their service as soon as their lines are installed and operational.
The pandemic underscored the necessity for access to high-quality and reliable internet, as individuals were required to work from home.