14,000 homes in Central New York lack high-speed internet which amounts to about 50,000 residents across Onondaga, Cortland, Oswego, Cayuga, and Madison Counties.
In total about 1,775 miles of roads in that area do not have modern broadband service available to its residents.
Senator Chuck Schumer hopes that the infrastructure deal going through the Senate will provide funding to close that gap.
$65 billion would be made available and the total is around $80 million. Schumer said it’s enough to close the divide.
Another reason many do not have internet is because they just can’t afford it.
Surveys received said reasons they did not have internet were because they could not afford it or there weren’t enough options.
At the moment Spectrum and Verizon dominate the industry locally.
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