For many, many years, residents of County Roads 75, 166 and 165 in Carroll County, located in the southwest area of the county on the county line near Holmes and Leflore Counties, have pleaded with the Carroll County Board of Supervisors for help getting internet service.
They have little to no internet service, first responders get lost trying to find them, and they just want someone to hear their concerns.
With the help of stimulus packages approved by the United States Congress under former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, Delta Electric will be able to connect an area that really needs it.
Members of the Corridor Advisory Coalition Board -- V. Grays, Jeff Dean, Tina Dean, Alonzo Randle and Levon Smith -- formed in an effort to help the residents of the area to be informed, said they are elated to hear that Delta Electric is bringing DE Lightspeed to their part of the county.
Recently, Delta Electric announced that they’re expanding their new fiber optic broadband services. According to the press release, the areas that will get the high speed internet service by September 2021 include southwest Carroll County, southwest Grenada County, northern Holmes County, and eastern Leflore County. The release goes on to state that by December 2021, additional areas of southern Carroll County and northern Holmes County along with most of Montgomery County and part of southern Grenada County will be included in the expansion. The western area of Delta Electric’s service territory will get the high speed internet service in years 2022-2025.
“We are very excited about expanding our fiber internet service and building on the success of our Carroll County pilot broadband project,” said David O’Bryan, General Manager of Delta Electric. “We ask for patience from our customers as we work to expand this essential service to other parts of our service territory and we encourage all customers in these areas to pre-register for our high speed, fiber internet service as soon as possible.”
Even though residents won’t fully receive service until September 2021, for those living in the southwest area of Carroll County, it is a step in the right direction, and it opens up a door that they’ve been needing for quite some time.
“County Road 75’s, also known as Harmony Road, year-long wait for DE Light Speed Internet to come to our gravel road community has come to an end, and we are humbly and truly thankful,” said V. Grays.
Back in August, O’Bryan went before the Carroll County Board of Supervisors to announce DE Lightspeed. Residents said they were discouraged when they heard it was going by Census Blocks and Northern Carroll County was receiving access first.
“The maps were already drawn and our expression and dire need could not be added in the coverage plan. Our dire need was seemingly unheard. We knew that the children would suffer the most and they did. They delivered the hardening news, no internet for county road 75/ old harmony road residents-no time soon,” Grays said.
And for those in southwest Carroll County, it was a defeating blow.
But, they kept trying. Jeffery Dean appeared before the Board of Supervisors in Carrollton as a spokesperson, expressing their concern, relaying stories of heartbreaking medical occurrences that happened because 911 initially routed them to Lexington or Greenwood instead of Carroll County.
They said they’re starting to see the light, with the help of Delta Electric. They said they had no idea that plans were in effect to extend service to them, until they were contacted for an interview.
“Finally, we got the big news! We are overjoyed to hear that Delta Electric high speed internet is coming to County Road 75. It’s absolutely wonderful to know that by September 2021, we should be completed. We are thrilled that Delta Electric is continuing to help others too. We did our share of calling and elevating our problems to the Delta Electric Representatives. We are glad to get back on track with the rest of Carroll County. We thank Delta Electric for hearing our cry, the residents for never giving up on County Road 75 and others who made this possible,” Grays said.
For them, it’s a step in the right direction. Internet service means if something happens, they can be located by their Wi-Fi signals. It means that their children have the access they need, and it means that families don’t have to move.
