Rural Texas coalition links broadband buildout to 10,000 local jobs

The Deep East Texas Council of Governments launched the Pineywoods Broadband Coalition this month to manage the region's transition to high-speed internet. The coalition will oversee technology education, workforce training, and infrastructure planning across an 11-county board of city council members and county judges.

Roughly $1 billion in federal funding is currently directed toward improving broadband access in Deep East Texas. Currently, 50% of the region's residents are underserved or unserved by high-speed connections, according to Connor Sadro, the council's broadband director. "If we bring the internet to this region, if we fill that gap of 50% underserved and unserved then 10,000 jobs are on the table," Sadro said.

The coalition plans to start with digital navigation training for residents who have never owned a laptop. The curriculum covers basic operations, such as charging a device and troubleshooting, alongside skills for telehealth appointments and video calls. A second initiative will map existing utility lines to prevent damage during construction. Expanding fiber optic lines has previously ruptured water and gas lines installed in the 1970s that have not been upgraded since.

The third initiative focuses on economic development and workforce preparation. It aims to train residents for positions ranging from fiber optic splicers to roles requiring online certifications. Sadro said the coalition will not require funding at the outset because the council has existing resources and volunteers. As plans develop, leaders may apply for local, state, and federal grants to cover incurred costs.

Construction is already underway on a regional network that began in Newton County. The network will eventually connect six counties. The first phase costs about $9 million, drawn from a $51 million grant from the Texas General Land Office and a match from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation. The remaining $42 million will be released only after the next two phases are bid out, Sadro said.

Lonnie Hunt, the council's executive director, said the first phase should be completed by the end of November. "More than half of the beneficiaries who will be served by this project are low-to-moderate income households," Hunt said. The coalition was approved by the council's board of directors at a meeting in October.