Leslie County Fiber/Broadband Board

05/22/2024

We need as many people to take this broadband speed test as possible. The more people that submit speed test results through the link below, the more funding Kentucky potentially will get for broadband expansion in Leslie County! More funding equals more locations with faster service (fiber to the home).

Please follow the instructions at the link below to submit your speed test results!

12/24/2023

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at the Leslie County Fiber Board!!

We want to thank everyone that has been involved with the Fiber Board in 2023 and we look forward to what the new year brings for our community!

04/30/2023

It was a honor and humbling experience last night as we stood on stage with Thacker-Grigsby at the Mountain Arts Center while accepting the EKY Connect Award from SOAR. As stated in the acceptance speech, we can not thank everyone that made this possible enough. For us, the true winners are the communities and citizens. The new infrastructure will give them opportunities that can change their lives, and for future generations to come.

03/09/2023

I was at a meeting yesterday concerning broadband availability, and there is a possibility that Leslie County can get money to help cover the cost to get fast Internet to EVERYONE. The FCC created a map that shows what Internet service providers (ISPs) have reported as having at a location. In a LOT of cases this information is not correct. It is important for as many people as possible to look at the map and check to see if the data is correct. For example, at my home listed TDS as offering 10 mb down and 1 mb up…this was not correct. I clicked on the “Availability Challenge” link on the right side of the window and officially challenged TDS’s data. I got an email yesterday that said that TDS agreed that their data was not correct. I encourage everyone to check their address on the map and confirm that the listed speed is correct. If enough people challenge the data, we can get money to help everyone. Here is a link to the map.

01/10/2023

https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov

I encourage everyone in Leslie County to go to this map...look up your address and confirm that the information is correct. You will need to do it on a computer to be able to see everything. This shows what TDS (and other providers if available) have reported as having in your area. They listed 10mb down and 1mb up for my house which isn't true so I filled out a "challenge" so the information is more accurate. If ISP's report better service than they actually have the FCC will think everyone is covered. Now is the time to speak up and let the ISP's that their data is wrong and they need to use any tax dollars they get to get better service to the areas that are in the worst shape.

03/31/2022

Some good news for parts of Leslie County that can't get good Internet. Its expensive upfront, but if you have the money and want better internet and live in a covered area (see the link below...its a map that shows where it is currently available) then it looks like you can get Starlink now!

SpaceX is developing a low latency, broadband internet system to meet the needs of consumers across the globe. Enabled by a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites, Starlink will provide fast, reliable internet to populations with little or no connectivity, including those in rural communities a...

01/03/2022

11/12/2021

The November 18, 2021 meeting for the Leslie County Fiber Board has been Cancelled. We are still looking at having a December meeting, but if we decide to cancel it, we will post about it here on Facebook.

10/21/2021

Here is the link to the video that Sandi Curd, Promise Zone Coordinator, mentioned in our meeting today (October 21, 2021).

07/24/2021

Had a great meeting with Jack Kennedy and Donald Purdie who is with the Appalachian Council for Innovation. We had a very informative conversation about Starlink and the potential for getting better Internet for the students in Leslie County.

*From left to right*
Andrea Begley, Leroy Lewis, Jack Kennedy, Derek Lewis, Brandon Fields, Donald Purdie, and Elbert Estep.

05/03/2021

The Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible families and households who are struggling to stay connected during the pandemic. Qualifying households on Tribal lands can receive a discount of up to $75 per month for service. Eligible households can also receive a discount of up to $100 for the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers. For more info, please visit: fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit.

Congress has tasked the FCC with developing a new $3.2 billion program to help U.S. households that are struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. The FCC is mobilizing people and organizations to help share important consumer information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit. To pa...

02/17/2021

Due to the inclement weather that we currently have, as well as the incoming storm system, we have decided to CANCEL the February meeting of the Leslie County Fiber Board. We will meet next month on March 18, 2021 for our next regularly scheduled meeting.

We hope everyone will stay in, stay safe, and stay warm while we get through this patch of bad weather! We look forward to seeing everyone (virtually) next month for the March meeting.