Peach Tree Times

Broadband is on its way to "every corner" of Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp promised on Twitter.

In the past five month, the state has entered six new Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) partnerships to expand broadband access to more than 178,000 homes and businesses in 44 counties and invested $491 million, Kemp said in Tweet. 

"We are delivering on our promise to expand rural broadband in every corner of our state," Kemp said in the Twitter post.

A month earlier the Governor's Office announced a partnership with Washington EMC and Conexon Connect to provide high-speed fiber internet to more than 12,000 homes and businesses in Mid-Georgia Baldwin, Emanuel, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Johnson, Laurens, Warren, Washington and Wilkinson counties. That partnership includes more than $54.5 million in capital investments, including Washington EMC's contribution of $52 million.

Kemp said he was "delivering on a promise I made on the campaign trail" to work with the Georgia Department of Economic Development to develop and launch the state's Rural Strike Team. The team works to bring local developers, elected officials and industry leaders together to encourage businesses investment opportunities in rural Georgia, his op-ed said.

Kemp's budget proposal for this fiscal year included $40 million for a new Rural Innovation Fund to provide accessible capital to start-ups, existing industries, and local job creators in Georgia's rural communities, the op-ed said.

"In the months to come, my office will be exploring every opportunity to utilize federal coronavirus relief funds to continue our momentum on expanding access to high-speed internet – no matter your zip code. Together, we will continue to tackle this problem head on and bring greater opportunities and economic prosperity to rural Georgia," he said.