East Texas group launches effort to teach residents how to use new internet access

Federal broadband money is arriving in Deep East Texas, and a regional council has formed a group to train residents and manage the work.

The Deep East Texas Council of Governors approved the Pineywoods Broadband Coalition at an October meeting of its board of directors. The board includes city council members and county judges from 11 counties. Connor Sadro, the council's broadband director, said the coalition would promote technology education and workforce development.

Before the work began, 50% of the region lacked adequate high-speed internet. Sadro said that figure is starting to change. Residents in some communities can make video calls and stream movies, while others struggle to load a single website on a phone or tablet. That limits access to telehealth appointments and remote work. Federal grants for the region include fiber optics and satellite service such as Starlink. Fiber installation requires digging, which has already damaged water and gas lines first installed in the 1970s and not upgraded since.

The coalition's first project would teach basic computer skills, including how to start a laptop and troubleshoot problems, as well as how to join video chats and telehealth appointments. Its second project would bring together infrastructure experts to map where utility lines currently run, reducing the chance of disruptions during fiber installation. The third project would focus on jobs. Sadro said that closing the gap for the 50% of the region that is underserved or unserved would put 10,000 jobs on the table, from fiber optic splicers to online certifications. Sadro said the coalition will not cost the council money at the start, since it has resources and volunteers. If plans require funding later, leaders would seek local, state and federal grants.

The coalition's launch coincided with the completion of the first phase of a regional broadband network that began in Newton County. Lonnie Hunt, the council's executive director, said that phase should be finished by the end of November. He also said more than half of the people served by the project live in low-to-moderate income households. The first phase costs about $9 million, drawn from a $51 million grant from the Texas General Land Office and a match from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation. Sadro said the remaining $42 million will not be released until the next two phases are bid out. The network will eventually span six counties. The council conducted a broadband study in 2019 that shaped its methods for expanding access and supported grant applications. The Newton project is one of several underway since that study.

Sadro said he hopes board members will step forward to lead or name someone to support the region as it handles these infrastructure changes.