Wise County Broadband Infrastructure Project

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Wise County entered into a public-private partnership with an Internet service provider, Nextlink, to deploy broadband at data speeds through CBRS spectrum technology ranging from 100 megabits per second (Mbps) to 500 Mbps to 95% of households in the county, which is upwards of 65,000 people. Nextlink is also providing gigabit fiber-based internet service for 18 of 20 county offices and gigabit fixed wireless service for the other two county offices. As the fiber loop infrastructure was built for County, Nextlink has also added residential and business neighborhoods to the fiber infrastructure. Wise County’s portion of the broadband project was paid for with a portion of the County’s American Rescue Fund allocation.