Rural residents are challenged with finding reliable, efficient internet and television providers. The only services available are satellite and/or wireless hot spot based. These are neither reliable nor efficient - especially during weather events.

Now, factor in COVID-19 and 'stay at home' requirements - for both employees working from home and students attempting to attend classes online. The result is frustrating, at best, and disastrous (disruptive to the continuity of workflow) at worst.

The residents of State Highway 1131 (both Orange County and Jasper County citizens) have "limped" through the past year and managed to accomplish some of the most basic online tasks. But, again, the unreliable services currently available do not meet the need of homebound residents.

This is an appeal to Spectrum to begin open dialogue and assess the possibility of providing basic internet and television services. We ask Spectrum to begin collecting data and develop a construction plan to meet the needs of this underserved rural area.