Broadband Opportunities Expanding to Breezy Hill, McCutcheon Road and Union Hill in Ohio County

Broadband internet opportunities are on their way to currently unserved areas of Ohio County, but some areas may get it first, county commissioners learned.

A project to bring broadband internet to the Breezy Hill, McCutcheon Road and Union Hill areas will serve 29 homes, and could be completed by the end of the year, according to Randy Russell, county project manager.

"(American Electric Power) is starting their make-ready work this week, and it should be complete in four weeks," Russell said. "Then Comcast -- in what is a bit of a head scratcher -- said if AEP is ready in four weeks, we will have this project done by the end of 2021."

The original cost for the project was estimated at $111,200, with Comcast charging Ohio County $91,000 for the work, he said.

The county also is working with Comcast on a larger project to extend broadband to 110 homes along Stone and Shannon Road. Comcast estimates the price for the work at $300,000, but is willing to knock $100,000 off the cost if Ohio County agrees to the work there and the Breezy Hill areas, according to Russell. Ohio County's total cost then would be $291,000 for the broadband expansion projects.

But AEP's engineering work to make ready the Stone and Shannon Road area ready had been delayed because of a second internet company, Massillon Cable TV, wanting to serve the Stone and Shannon area.

"AEP at this point doesn't know when that engineering will be done," Russell said. "They are working as fast as they can."

MCTV doesn't plan to ask commissioners for any funding to assist in its broadband expansion, and he suggested it would be prudent to do their work first before taking on any costs, Russell told commissioners.

He also expressed some concern that the $100,000 reduction in cost from Comcast was contingent on Ohio County completing both projects with them.

Russell expects the work could speed up the Stone and Shannon Road project. What is missing is a county franchise agreement with MCTV, which bought out Centre TV Cable in Warwood last year.

He said he is working with the company to achieve the proper franchise agreement.