By Virginia's Gateway Region
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Full Article
Nearly 34 million people in America lack access to high-speed internet, 23 percent of which live in rural areas overlooked and underserved by major wireless and cable providers. Prince George Electric Cooperative has finally developed an innovative, cost-effective solution for affordable, reliable broadband access in rural communities, leveling the playing field with their urban counterparts.
Unveiled in October 2016, PGEC and its subsidiary PGEC Enterprises, LLC launched a pilot program that entails a last-mile, fiber-to-the-home model, bringing internet service to these unserved rural communities. This revolutionary process begins with the installation of a "smart grid" of large fibers connecting power substations across the service area. Using efficient tools, PGEC's own linemen lay the "last-mile" of fiber, connecting individual homes and businesses directly to the smart grid.