BROADBAND

Catherine Krantz, Area Director for Broadband, started in November 2022. She is putting broadband strategy in place to ensure access to infrastructure and funding for families in rural communities throughout Communities Unlimited’s seven state service area.  

Broadband is high-speed internet. The bare minimum speed for broadband is currently defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. This speed is barely enough for a video conference call with no other internet usage at the same time.

The Broadband program has grown from an Area Director for Broadband to include a Broadband Interstate Coordinator, and 3 American Connection Corps Members providing broadband planning and digital access planning technical assistance to communities. 

The Broadband program has assisted 21 communities with basic broadband education and outreach and is currently engaged with 6 communities in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma in extensive broadband planning.

Over the past year Catherine has been pursuing funding to expand the Broadband work even further, attended events stay up to date with broadband planning and funding and get to know the needs of the communities and businesses across CU’s service area. She is eager to share her knowledge and has provided training to Communities Unlimited staff, community stakeholders and national partners including the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP). 

Hear Catherine on the Communities Unlimited Podcast:

Catherine is making broadband a part of Communities Unlimited’s Strategic Blending approach to serving communities having already partnered with the Entrepreneurship Team to assist potential broadband related business owners and as part of the Community Sustainability program she has already connected communities and internet service providers (ISPs). 

The Broadband Team is now working on digital access planning activities with active Community Sustainability communities, writing Digital Access Roadmaps for 40 communities, and coordinating with the Mississippi Broadband Association to create the MS Broadband Ready Community Program allowing communities to do the necessary planning for broadband infrastructure construction and deployment.