Internet access for rural Lee County residents expected by 2025

LEE COUNTY, Ala. (WTVM) – Lee County’s broadband project is designed to provide internet access to residents is rural areas.

After lots of back and fourth with internet service providers, the county has signed internet service provider agreements for both phases of the project.

“It wasn’t working at all. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” said Salem resident Melissa Bellamy.

Those are common words heard throughout rural areas in Lee County like the Salem and Loachapoka communities. Some people in those areas do not have any access to high speed internet service providers.

“I had Hughesnet for a year – it didn’t work,” said Bellamy. “It was very expensive and it was just ridiculous. You try to watch Netflix and it always freezes up and stuff like that. So, it wasn’t even worth it.”

For several months, Lee County has allocated money from the American Rescue Plan Act fund for their Broadband project to contract internet service providers or ISPs to install fiber in those rural communities. BEAM was just awarded four projects.

“Our phase two, which was done at the commission just recently, will begin in 2025 and run through 2026,” said BEAM CFO Patricia Allen.

Bellamy lives in Salem which is a phase one area. She says she’s reached out to other providers and they do not provide service in rural areas, making Lee County’s project all the more important.

“I called AT&T, Dish Network and stuff like that,” she explained. “They do not offer internet service here.”

Bellamy says internet is a necessity and everyone should have the option to have internet service.

“It’s 2024. Everyone needs internet,” Bellamy added. “You have to pay your bills by internet. A lot of stuff like schooling, you have to do by internet and I think everyone should have it.”

Patricia Allen is the chief financial officer for BEAM and she says they understand the need for internet and that is why they are participating in Lee County’s project.

“Our goal is trying to support the community and getting it out there closer to where everybody has internet because we know how important internet is to a home for school for just life in general,” said Allen.

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