West Virginia

In late 2023, Sens Shelley Capito (R-WV) and John Kennedy (R-LA) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel expressing concerns about the FCC's pole attachment proceedings. In January 2024, Chairwoman Rosenworcel responded, elaborating on what action the FCC has taken to improve the pole attachment process, including the establishment of the new Rapid Broadband Assessment Team.

Governor Jim Justice (R-WV) has issued the preliminary approval of approximately $5.5 million in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds through the Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) program of the West Virginia Broadband Investment Plan. These funds will be used to deploy fiber-to-the-home infrastructure capable of delivering high speeds and reliable service. Citynet, LLC will receive funding for their Pocahontas-Marlinton, Hillsboro, Slatyfork, Valley Head project located in Pocahontas County, extending broadband access to targeted locations in rural communities.

Although the lack of broadband, transit, childcare and housing are all stacked against rural counties as they develop the kind of robust workforce that can attract business, planning and relationships between state and local government can help alleviate some of those challenges. That’s the assessment various practitioners in the workforce development field offered during the Rural Action Caucus Symposium in Greenbrier County (WV). West Virginia faces steep challenges in delivering broadband connectivity to residents, given both the population distribution and the geography. Without housing

In July, the West Virginia Department of Economic Development (WVDED) released the state's Draft Digital Equity Plan for public comment, asking stakeholders to weigh in on WVDED's strategy for bridging the digital divide. West Virginia’s Digital Equity Plan is a five-year, action-oriented roadmap for the WVDED—in collaboration with statewide partners—to ensure that every West Virginian can participate in today's increasingly digitally connected society.

West Virginia is on the verge of a $1.2 billion federally funded broadband buildout but that expansion may be held up by a problem that’s been around for years. The state Broadband Enhancement Council is considering officially intervening in a case before the state Public Service Commission involving First Energy and Frontier Communications about pole attachments. State Broadband Office Director Kelly Workman told the council that pole agreements are “our biggest source of delay in (American Rescue Plan Act) funding projects so far.” “Costs have gone up exponentially the last three years co

Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) announced the preliminary approval of more than $32 million under two programs of the West Virginia Broadband Investment Plan. This announcement includes applications received under the programs Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) and Major Broadband Project Strategies (MBPS). LEAD and MBPS projects announced through this application cycle will provide broadband connectivity to more than 6,000 targeted locations with the deployment of approximately 793 miles of new infrastructure.