“Viewpoints” is a place on Chapelboro where local people are encouraged to share their unique perspectives on issues affecting our community. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work, reporting or approval of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com. If you’d like to contribute a column on an issue you’re concerned about, interesting happenings around town, reflections on local life — or anything else — send a submission to viewpoints@wchl.com.
County Spends $6 Million To Wire 665 Homes for Fiber
A perspective from Joy Mercer
Sad to say, the BOCC last night let T Mobile/Lumos out of their obligations under the broadband contract and eliminated 600 homes from the service area. Even though the Board was advised that many of the homes getting the $6 million fiber service already have alternative providers, the Board chose to spend $6 million in installments on the promise that T Mobile/Lumos would pass fiber across 665 homes in a very limited area, rather than the full 1200 homes that the contract required.
We’re in this situation because the County leadership failed to monitor the installation, accepted multiple delays without demanding a return to work and a return to the original construction schedule. In addition, they failed to use the leverage of the $6 million final payment to demand compliance with the contract. From all appearances, no one has been monitoring Lumos progress, no one has monitored who remains unserved since the original list was prepared in 2020. Of course, everyone on the Board has fiber, so what’s the big deal?
To the residents that were there to plea for the County to stick to the contract and the promises made to its residents, their answer was broadband is not a utility (i.e., You have no right to it), or you should move.
What a failure of government. How else are they mismanaging the taxpayer funds?
After five years of waiting, we are still fiber-less.
Joy Mercer
Rural Orange County
“Viewpoints” on Chapelboro is a recurring series of community-submitted opinion columns. All thoughts, ideas, opinions and expressions in this series are those of the author, and do not reflect the work or reporting of 97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com.
