U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., speaks about the importance of internet access for everyone in West Virginia at the dedication of new fiber optic broadband service in Wetzel County on Thursday. (Photo by Shelley Hanson)

NEW MARTINSVILLE — More than 1,900 households in Wetzel and Harrison counties can now purchase broadband internet service thanks to the installation of 87 miles of new fiber optic cable. The project began about five years ago as part of a partnership between U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), the Regional Economic Development Partnership, USDA ReConnect, the Wetzel County Commission, Citynet and civil engineers Thompson & Litton. The dedication of the new broadband internet service was held Thursday at the Wetzel County 4-H Campgrounds in New Martinsville. Officials who spoke about the project included Josh Jefferson, president of RED; Lisa Heasley, president of the Wetzel County Commission and RED board member; Jim Martin, president and CEO of Citynet; Richard Jenkins, general agent for USDA Rural Development; Ryan Thorn, state director for West Virginia USDA Rural Development; Roseann Ferro, representing U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (IW.Va.), and Capito. Capito noted that many people take internet access for granted. But one lesson she has learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that have come with it is that internet access is not just a convenience, it is “absolutely necessary” in people’s lives – for school and work. When schools were closed during COVID, students who didn’t have internet access at home were left behind, and that’s not fair, she said. The ultimate goal is for everyone in the state to have access to the internet.
“We have high hopes that every company, every individual and every home will be connected,” she said. Bridgeport-based Citynet has already started recruiting new customers. They had set up a table at the campground with employees doing just that. Pricing for Citynet’s fiber-optic internet service starts at $73 per month. Phone service can be added for an additional $20 per month. The company also offers TV packages.
“Now only the very rural areas remain, and we will reach them,” Said Capito following the inauguration. “But it has to be a partnership like the one we see today.”
Capito said families who need help paying for internet services can get it.
“We launched a plan during COVID, the Affordable Connectivity Plan, to help people with their bills. But if it makes any sense at all, as broadband becomes more widespread, the costs will come down. That’s our hope.” she said. The new fiber optic internet cable was mostly installed along existing utility poles, with some new poles erected. Some sections of cable had to be placed underground. The project was funded with $2.1 million from the USDA’s ReConnect grant, which was matched by the Wetzel County Commission, bringing the total investment to $4.2 million. The fiber optic network serves a 48-square-mile area and provides high-speed internet to 1,909 homes, five educational institutions, a health center and nine community facilities. Communities along this new corridor include Hundred, Knob Fork, Porter Falls, Reader, Pine Grove, Hastings, Smithfield and Folsom in Wetzel County, and Wallace, Dola, Meadowbrook and Bridgeport in Harrison County. Through RED, Wetzel County received the USDA’s 50/50 ReConnect loan/grant combination, which covers the entire project cost. Jefferson explained his organization’s interest in the project.
“Due to the significant efforts and commitment of our federal delegation and following the example of our partners at the Wetzel County Commission, we have collectively identified this lack of infrastructure as a top priority,” he said. “West Virginia cannot support opportunities for telecommuting, small business growth, education and access to healthcare without reliable broadband. These great partners and this wonderful community have made today’s project a reality.”
Martin also expressed his enthusiasm for the project.
“We are incredibly proud to be an important part of this exciting initiative. Citynet’s work on this project is at the core of our mission: to provide affordable, reliable broadband internet throughout West Virginia,” Said Martin. “This is another important step toward that goal. While these funds are earmarked for specific routes, our goal is to expand fiber outside the scope of the grant project once we meet the service requirements of the specific grants.”