Connect More Ohioans Now

Federal, state, and local lawmakers secured the government funding needed to support rural broadband expansion in Ohio.

Internet providers have also invested and are ready to expand their systems to reach those unserved and underserved areas.

Yet roughly 110,000 Ohio households still don’t have access to high-speed internet…

Why?

Electric utilities like AES Ohio, South Central Power, and Duke Energy are delaying rural Ohioans’ access to high-speed internet.

Call them today to urge them to stop stalling access to utility poles so more Ohioans can have access to high-speed internet.

AES Ohio – 937-259-7124

Duke Energy – 513-287-4359

South Central Power – 740-689-6252

When internet providers expand their systems to quickly reach rural areas, they do it by attaching their cables and equipment to utility poles owned by electric utilities. Utilities are required by law to give internet providers reasonable access to their poles, but internet providers can’t construct broadband infrastructure until they have permission from the utility to do so. But some electric utilities, like AES Ohio, South Central Power, and Duke Energy, have been stalling, refusing to quickly grant internet providers the permission they need to move expansion projects forward.

Let’s be clear… these are not reasonable or understandable delays… a year, eighteen months, or sometimes more than two years pass with electric utilities like AES Ohio, South Central Power, and Duke Energy still not granting those requests. That’s time you have to wait, just for the opportunity to enter the digital age. It’s not fair to you, your family, or your neighbors.

High-speed internet access is vital to:

Better educational opportunities for students via online learning.

Access to affordable healthcare for rural patients, who may have to travel long distances to consult their physician without access to telemedicine.

Greater agricultural productivity and access to high-tech tools for farmers to compete.

Increased economic opportunity for small businesses seeking to grow and create jobs in rural communities.

… And so much more.

Time is running out.

Frankly, any delay is too long when thousands of Ohio families could be benefitting from the historic public funding available for internet expansion in your community. But sadly, unnecessary and inexcusable delays by electric utilities like AES Ohio, South Central Power, and Duke Energy threaten your livelihood and access to healthcare, education, and economic prosperity.

It’s time to hold electric utilities like AES Ohio, South Central Power, and Duke Energy accountable so that they finally do their small part to unleash opportunity for unserved Ohio families, businesses, and communities.