Harrison County Community Gets Connected
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA high-speed Internet center is now open in the small Harrison County community of Mauckport. The Chamber of Commerce of Harrison County partnered with Internet service provider Q Wireless LLC on the $782,000 project.
October 25, 2014
News Release
Mauckport, Ind. — On Friday, October 10, 2014 residents of rural Mauckport, Indiana got a first look at their community's new high speed internet center. Q Wireless LLC, an Internet Service Provider dedicated to providing high-speed broadband internet access to rural mid-America through partnerships both public and private, applied for and received a United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Service (USDA RUS) grant through the Community Connect program. The Community Connect program serves rural communities where broadband service is least likely to be made available through strictly private investment, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for citizens. The projects funded by these grants will help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet.
Q Wireless partnered with the Chamber of Commerce of Harrison County and the Harrison County Economic Development Corporation to make the application for the $782,000 project to construct a high speed internet center with 10 computer stations to serve the Mauckport, Indiana Community. Of the total cost, Q Wireless LLC, the Chamber of Commerce and the HCEDC shared in matching funds of $147,920. The project also includes funding for the expansion of high speed internet infrastructure to provide residential internet service in Mauckport and the surrounding areas.
The Director of the HCEDC, Darrell Voelker said ” in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, the expansion of high speed internet has been a priority for at least 10 years and while some progress has been made, we have a lot more to do. Clearly, this part of Harrison County had little hope for this type of service without the efforts of Q Wireless LLC and the financial support from the USDA.” We are pleased to support this cause and applaud the Chamber for taking the lead, Voelker added.
“Since opening the Mauckport High Speed Internet Center we have witnessed community members making good use of the facility, from connecting to family across the country, to applying for employment via the internet, and for our youngest users gaming and homework.,” said Lisa Long, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Harrison County. “It has been particularly interesting to see multi-generational use of the center and how the generations are interacting with each other to teach new skills and values,” continued Long.
As a result of its strategic initiatives, the Chamber of Commerce of Harrison County founded Connect, Harrison County, Inc. to help drive high speed internet infrastructure expansion throughout Harrison County. Connect Harrison County, Inc. is a 501 (c) 4, non-profit organization with the sole mission of promoting affordable high speed internet access to all of Harrison County.
Long said, “It is exciting to see some movement on the expansion of high speed internet in Harrison County. We look forward to partnering with Q Wireless LLC and additional Internet Service Providers (ISP) to expand that coverage to all areas of the county.” Connect Harrison County, Inc. recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking interest from various ISP's to help expand internet services in Harrison County. The RFI, along with additional information on the initiative, is available on the Chamber's website at www.harrisonchamber.org.
Those residents of the Mauckport, Indiana area interested in residential high speed internet service may call Q Wireless LLC at 877.472.3341 option 1. The Center is currently open Monday-Friday 4 PM-9 PM and Saturdays 10 AM-5 PM.
A ribbon cutting and reception to celebrate the grand opening of the Mauckport High Speed Internet Center will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, at 4:00 PM, at the Center located at 12013 Walnut St SW, Mauckport, Indiana (adjacent to the US Post Office). Representatives of Q Wireless LLC, the Chamber of Commerce of Harrison County, Connect Harrison County, Inc., the Harrison County Economic Development Corporation and the USDA RUS will be on hand to discuss the Mauckport project and future plans for Harrison County.
Source: Chamber of Commerce of Harrison County