ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — Orangeburg County says it has been fighting to bring broadband to underserved communities and now that fight continues with making broadband more affordable.
It's part of the broader effort to get high speed internet for communities in the state.
“A lot of these people have a lot of life choices they have to make from day to day and we don’t want the broadband system to be one of them because we want the kids and the youth and the industry and the businesses to have a robust broadband system," said county administrator Harold Young.
Orangeburg County Council had its first reading to consider reducing the cost of the service the county offers.
It starts with a 6m/1m package that is currently $49.95. The new rate will be $31.95. The highest package of 1G is currently $199.95 and will go down to $159.95.
“What the pandemic has taught us is that broadband is not only crucial for education but it is a new matrix of how individuals and especially millennials do work there is a lot more work that’s done now than there used to be," said Young.
According to administration, the county is one of only two in the state that has its own broadband system. Grant funding has allowed it to expand.
“There was a big push by the large tail coves to keep county government out of the broadband business to start with so that was a major fight that we had to put in years ago so thank God Orangeburg County had the perseverance to staying in the fight," he said.
It partnered wit Tri-County Electric Cooperative to cover the eastern end of the county. Now it is working on covering the western part, and plans to collaborate with the Orangeburg Department of Public Utilities to cover its central area.
“Now we just wanna take some of that savings and portray it back to the citizens so they can have affordable broadband that’s available to them and that would make a big difference in allowing people to have it or not," said Young.
Assuming the ordinance gets a third reading approval from the county, customers will be updated on what options are available to them. The county will still continue to work to make sure broadband is available to everyone throughout the county.