Midway city officials will explore options for improving internet service in the town, they appeared to agree at a special City Council meeting today.
After hearing a presentation from Solarity Group, a broadband consultancy that started in Midway, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said the city would probably create "some kind of task force" with council members, interested citizens and possible partners.
He said private investment will be needed to improve the system, but the city might be a partner. He said one primary possibility is Midway University, and another might be Lakeshore Learning Materials.
The conversation will also involve the local internet service providers: Windstream Communications, primarily a telephone company, and Spectrum, the cable-television company.
Noting reports of poor customer service by both companies, Vandegrift said, "At some point we need to send a friendly notice to Windstream and Spectrum that they need to step up their game in Midway."
Later, he said, "We need to start some kind of task force . . . because we need to put Windstream and Spectrum on notice. They don't seem to really care that much about us." He said internet service in parts of town is "just pitiful."
Terry Barnes of Solarity told the group, "One of your strategic goals may be to increase competition, which usually improves affordability."
Windstream received federal economic-stimulus grants of $60 million to extend high-speed broadband to rural areas of Kentucky and other states. It was the largest recipient of such grants. Windstream leased the former city dump on Spring Station Road for an installation related to the project and paid a one-time fee of $15,000, three times what it originally offered.
After hearing a presentation from Solarity Group, a broadband consultancy that started in Midway, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said the city would probably create "some kind of task force" with council members, interested citizens and possible partners.
He said private investment will be needed to improve the system, but the city might be a partner. He said one primary possibility is Midway University, and another might be Lakeshore Learning Materials.
The conversation will also involve the local internet service providers: Windstream Communications, primarily a telephone company, and Spectrum, the cable-television company.
Noting reports of poor customer service by both companies, Vandegrift said, "At some point we need to send a friendly notice to Windstream and Spectrum that they need to step up their game in Midway."
Later, he said, "We need to start some kind of task force . . . because we need to put Windstream and Spectrum on notice. They don't seem to really care that much about us." He said internet service in parts of town is "just pitiful."
Terry Barnes of Solarity told the group, "One of your strategic goals may be to increase competition, which usually improves affordability."
Windstream received federal economic-stimulus grants of $60 million to extend high-speed broadband to rural areas of Kentucky and other states. It was the largest recipient of such grants. Windstream leased the former city dump on Spring Station Road for an installation related to the project and paid a one-time fee of $15,000, three times what it originally offered.
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