By the end of this year, everyone in Martinsville will have access to high-capacity and high-speed wireless internet service.
The announcement came at the end of Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the Martinsville City Council, when City Manager Leon Towarnicki told council that the city had the federal money in hand to expand the city’s MiNet internet service and intended to make it happen in six weeks.
“Three weeks ago the governor announced a $30 million fund—CARES funding—for broadband projects throughout the state,” Towarnicki said. “The city hastily put together an application … and within about a week, we heard that our application had been approved.”
Towarnicki said the grant application was structured in such a way so that, if approved, it would allow the city to provide internet service to unserved and underserved students within the city of Martinsville.
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The school system provided the city with a map of where those students are, and Towarnicki said it showed that the students are all over the city and not concentrated in any specific areas.
“In order for us to serve the city students, it [the grant] enables us to put up the towers and the infrastructure around the city,” Towarnicki said. “So we will have the capability to serve the entire city when this infrastructure is in place, and we’ve actually started on the project today.”
Grant funding in the amount of $502,344 will purchase antennae and have them installed on top of three existing water tanks.
“We may wind up with one or two poles in other locations if need be,” Towarnicki said. “With that there will be coverage—probably 99.9% of the city and a pretty large area of the county.”
Because all students of Martinsville City Public Schools are in virtual classrooms because of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to high-speed internet has been a significant concern. A significant percentage of students do not have access, and this expansion would close those gaps.
Towarnicki said the city is working with the school system to determine the locations of the students that need the service, and permission will be required from the property owner in order for the city to be able to attach equipment where the service is being provided.
“Through our grant we’re going to do all of this,” Towarnicki said. “The schools actually have a grant that will cover the cost of the subscription of the service.
“The good news for us—it enables us to finally get all the equipment in that can serve the entire city—beyond simply serving the city students this will give us the capability to provide wireless [internet] to all citizens.”
In addition to residential service, Towarnicki said the city intends to provide hotspot connections at the libraries, city hall, all school properties and some undetermined sites in the county.
Towarnicki said the city is working with local contractors to build out additional needed fiber.
“We’re rolling with it and intend to have everything up and running in six weeks,” Towarnicki said. “It’s a great opportunity.
“The long-term benefits for the city I think are going to be substantial.”
Assistant City Manager and City Attorney Eric Monday said all unserved and underserved households in the city will be getting a letter from the school system soon that will include a permission slip allowing the city to attach the necessary equipment that will allow the internet signal to be received.
“If you do want internet service for your child, please fill that form out and return it to the schools as quickly as you possibly can,” Monday said. “If you are someone out there and you’ve been thinking about becoming a MiNet customer, now would be the time to really give it some serious thought.
“By the end of the year, every single citizen in the city of Martinsville will be able to become a wireless internet customer and significant parts of the county as well.”