Hiawassee is the latest Georgia community to receive Broadband Ready Community Certification from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). This designation recognizes a city and/or county whose local government has completed the application and demonstrated compliance with the adoption of a local comprehensive plan inclusive of the deployment of broadband services and a Broadband Model Ordinance.

Governor Brian P. Kemp announced the publication of Georgia’s Broadband Availability Map, a new tool that will bring more transparency about the internet marketplace and clarify which Georgia households do not have access to high-speed internet.

Gov. Brian P. Kemp announced that the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative (GBDI) is launching the Speedtest by Ookla® pilot project statewide through August. This project is designed to equip school leaders with the clearest picture possible of internet connectivity for Georgia’s students and teachers for the upcoming school year.

Comcast today announced it has begun work to enhance and expand the reach of its network in four rural communities: Tallapoosa, Mount Zion, Waco and Whitesburg. Within one year, the nearly $9 million investment is expected to bring Comcast’s entire suite of Xfinity services to almost 8,000 previously unserved homes and businesses in the region. A press conference, featuring state officials and Comcast executives, was held in Tallapoosa.

Today, Governor Brian P. Kemp and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) launched a new website to inform Georgians about ways to connect to high-speed internet throughout the state.

Banks County is Georgia’s second county to be recognized by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for its Broadband Ready Certification. On March 5, DCA Broadband Executive Director Deana Perry presented city officials with a certificate of recognition.

Evans County, one of the most recent Broadband Ready communities, and McIntosh County were awarded $5M in US Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect funds on Feb. 21. Evans County was also recognized as a Broadband Ready Community on Feb. 6 by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

The City of Claxton reached a milestone as the first city to have a Broadband Ready designation within a county with the same recognition. Evans County (in which Claxton is located) was recognized for its Broadband Ready designation on Feb. 5, and Claxton was honored on Feb. 21 by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a $4.4M USDA ReConnect grant award for the Ellijay Telephone Company in Gilmer County on Feb. 7. The funds will benefit the Gilmer County Rural Broadband Enhancement Project, an initiative intended to provide 90 miles of new optical fiber transport facilities.

For years, residents in Evans County have reached out to local government officials about bringing in faster data speeds to its unincorporated areas. On Feb. 5, the county was recognized at the State Capitol for its recent Broadband Ready Community Designation.