A large percentage of Humboldt County residents have trouble accessing the Internet. Officials have decided to address the issue and have applied for a $35.3 million grant. The new project will provide all residents in the region with access to high-speed internet. A final decision on the grant will be presented at the end of next month.
Bridging the digital divide
Internet quality demands in Humboldt County are steadily increasing. This is due to the changing preferences of residents in this northern California region. Smartphones have become a true symbol of the age, especially now that a variety of apps can greatly enhance their functionality. Through apps, people watch videos, socialize, find information, and even work.
More and more people are into mobile gaming and iGaming, and most of them prefer to use their cell phones to play. For this, they download apps from online casinos and bookmakers. Almost all well-known brands record the growth in the number of downloads. Thus, Melbet says this indicator has increased by 9% since the beginning of the year. As we were told on this site, the download rate of the 1win app has increased by 14%. Therefore, people increasingly require fast and stable internet.
It’s safe to say that new technologies in the iGaming industry will increase the demands on the quality of the internet connection.
At a recent meeting, the California Public Utilities Commission proposed a grant to Humboldt County. Authorities in the area have been highlighting for several years that residents cannot utilize high-speed internet service because the infrastructure is not in place. The state grant is part of a federal financial foundation initiative. The money from this project will be used to develop infrastructure that should open up internet access to all California residents.
At the moment, the authorities don’t even have a project. Everyone is waiting for the approval of the application for a state grant. Only after approval will specialists start the project. The chances of receiving 35 million dollars are high, so soon, Humboldt County will have broadband access.
Humboldt County officials have plans for Humboldt County.
The $35 million will be spent on three projects, all of which aim to deploy broadband infrastructure. If all the tasks are realized, residents of the region will have access to high-speed internet with speeds of up to 10,000 megabits per second. Special attention is paid to citizens living in disadvantaged areas. The state action plan, which should ensure social justice, has been implemented for several years.
The authorities will also oblige all service providers to provide customers with low-cost tariff plans. That is, residents can use budget internet for the first few years. This is being done to make connectivity affordable for Humboldt County residents.
If the money is allocated, the projects will take about two years to develop. The companies will then proceed to implement all the tasks. Thus, residents will be able to get access to high-speed internet as soon as three years are needed.