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Efforts to expand internet access and speed across Kentucky have faced setbacks in recent years. Google Fiber unexpectedly ended attempts last year to establish ultra high-speed service in Louisville, and some urban neighborhoods and rural communities still struggle to obtain and afford reliable internet service.
BroadbandNow, a website that compares internet service providers across states and their counties, lists 11 Kentucky counties among 150 nationally that have reliable high speed connections with wired technologies. The report says access to broadband fiber leads to more opportunities for economic and educational growth.
KentuckyWired is one of the state’s largest efforts to connect communities to the internet, aiming to build more than 3,000 miles of high-speed fiber optic cable in every county. But the project is not expected to generate revenue for the state until 2025, and delays have set back its timeline. About 83 percent of the project is complete, according to its website, but a series of investigative reports have raised questions about the project and efforts to launch it.
This week on In Conversation, we discuss internet connectivity and efforts to expand internet access and speeds across Kentucky. How can neighborhoods and communities benefit from expanded services? What’s the status of KentuckyWired?
Listen to In Conversation live on 89.3 WFPL Friday at 11 a.m. or follow along with our live tweets at @WFPLnews. Call with your questions or comments at 502-814-TALK or tweet us with the hashtag #WFPLconversation. We’re also on Facebook.
