LADOGA — Much needed improvements in high-speed internet service will soon be tested at five local sites in Ladoga. The broadband fiber project is funded by West Heartland Innovation Network. Early testing by WHIN is reporting good results so far.
Montgomery County Commissioner President John Frey reported at Monday’s commissioner meeting that testing will last approximately 60 days. If results continue to be positive, Ladoga residents and businesses will be able to sign up to receive the service before the end of the year.
With the Ladoga Town Council’s approval, WHIN placed their equipment on the town’s water tower. Frey said the coverage area has exceeded what was estimated.
“The system seems to be doing better than projected,” Frey said. “It seems to be working great and the coverage range is going out further than what was predicted.”
Ladoga resident and business owner Amy Cating has agreed to be a test site. Cating expects WHIN to do a site inspection soon so she can get the broadband fiber installed to her business at 106 E. Main St.
The benefit of broadband has Cating waiting with high expectations not for what broadband internet can do for her business, but also what it can do for her community.
“This can be a great thing for our community,” Cating said. “It will be an improvement and hopefully attract new businesses and housing.”
The federal government is providing funds for companies to bring broadband connectivity to rural ar-eas and several companies have received rights to service area rural areas. Xfinity and AT&T have also contacted Ladoga to provide broad band service, Ladoga town employee April Bradley said.
Another Montgomery County community, Waynetown, agreed to work with WHIN over a year ago for a similar project as Ladoga’s but town officials have not been contacted for several months. Recently, two broadband companies, including Xfinity, have asked the town to rent electrical pole space to install broadband lines.
“We are hoping to have broadband as soon as possible,” said Waynetown Utility Supervisor John Warren. “Companies have called us who are working on bringing broadband to Waynetown. The whole process is a little frustrating because it seems to be moving along slowly. We are confident we will have broadband in Waynetown, we just cannot say when.”