Crawford County Commissioners have entered into an agreement with All Points Broadband (APB) to provide broadband internet service, according to an announcement Wednesday.

It will design and build out the fiber to initially serve ten areas in the north central and eastern parts of the county. Approximately 350 miles of new fiber line will serve more than 2,370 locations.

"It's not just a recreational thing," said Debra Frawley, ARPA Program Manager. "It's a needed utility. It's become like a utility just like electricity is now for modern living. So that's what we have."

APB plans to complete the construction within two years. Customer installations will start about 6 months after construction.

The county is using almost $3 million from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and funding from the state dedicated to broadband expansion in rural areas for the initial project.

The company will also assist the county in analyzing the need for broadband throughout the rest of the county.

"The county has a great deal of rural citizens. And they should have the same services and same infrastructure as our urban citizens," said Zach Norwood, Crawford County Planning Director. "But the result is that that is just not going to happen if we don't invest money in time."

APB is based in Virginia but will also open new facilities in Crawford County to support network construction and operation.

The company plans to offer three tiers of service ranging from approximately $59 per month to $110 per month without data caps. It also participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is a federal program that provides a discount of up to $30 per month for internet service for eligible households.

More details on broadband access in Crawford County is available here.