Several rural areas in Missouri will soon have access to broadband internet thanks to the ongoing efforts by Charter Spectrum to keep people connected. The company has seen that those who live in rural areas are sometimes at a disadvantage when it comes to internet services because lines don’t pass through close enough to their homes or because companies simply don’t want to expand. Roughly 60,000 businesses and homes could benefit from the expansion with areas including St. Louis, Lincoln, and St. Charles.
Costs
This venture will cost millions of dollars to complete as over $248 million will be spent in Missouri alone. More money will be spent in rural areas if Charter decides to make other expansions in the future. Charter Spectrum has dedicated at least $200 million for the investment to expand with another $48 from grants and auctions that have been won. The cost of the entire project to expand internet services to rural areas could be close to $5 billion once everything is put in place. The company wants to focus its efforts on at least 24 states with rural areas where higher internet speeds could be beneficial.
Notes From the Governor
Governor Mike Parson is ready for the growth to begin as he knows that many families have children who need faster internet to take classes online or to perform work after school with ease. There are some homes that don’t have internet at all and would be able to possibly work from home or connect with family and friends if they had the services provided by Charter. The economy could also begin to thrive if more businesses are able to utilize internet services to place orders or to connect with others who might have input about how to sell products or offer services.
Government Input
Senator Roy Blunt has seen the need during the pandemic as families aren’t really able to provide the education that their children need without internet services. Some families have had to rely on libraries and free hotspots so that children can do their homework. Blunt is pleased with the money that’s being spent on the expansion and wants to encourage further growth so that even more families and businesses can get the internet services that they need. He is also in support of grants and other types of funding so that companies like Charter have the financial means to make the growth happen.
What’s Offered?
Homes and businesses will have access to 1 Gbps high-speed internet once the expansion takes place. The speed will be at 200 Mbps to get everyone started. This speed is typically fast enough to allow for research that needs to be done for homework, interacting with teachers and class members online, and engaging with doctors and nurses during virtual appointments.
There is a package that is offered by Charter to make the internet services offered as affordable as possible. Spectrum Mobile and television services are included in the package, but residents and businesses aren’t required to obtain those services. There are no data caps for the services provided, which means that those who have internet through Charter Spectrum don’t have to worry about how much internet they have used during the month or if the service will be slowed down until the next billing cycle begins. No modem fees are involved, and there are no long-term contracts to sign.