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Ohio Launches Pilot To Get Internet To Rural Areas

Ohio Public Radio

Getting broadband services to the estimated one million Ohioans who lack it has been a challenge But the state is beginning a new pilot project designed to help provide reliable internet service to rural areas. The pr0ject involves new satellite technology. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.

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Bob Rich of Union County has worked from home for nine years without reliable internet. 

 

In that time, I’ve had to do things like rent office space in Marysville, which is the nearest town, during the summer and winter breaks so I’m not constantly nagging my children to get off Youtube.” 

 

Rich lives in one of the areas targeted by Ohio’s new $200 million pilot program that uses STARlink technology and SpaceX to provide internet via satellite technology. Lt. Gov Jon Husted says it is hoped the technology will be affordable so that it can expand to homes and businesses statewide. 

 

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.
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