Broadband on the table in Silver Valley

OSBURN —  “Where are we now, and where do we want to be?”

Those were two questions Colleen Rosson posed to stakeholders at a meeting to get broadband connectivity to Shoshone County Thursday at Shoshone Fire District No. 1.

As Shoshone County grant administrator, Rosson has been working for several years to bring broadband internet to the Silver Valley. She said the change would affect nearly every facet of existing infrastructure as well as stabilizing the patchy or nonexistent internet connections across the county.

The county is hoping to tap funds from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, a federal program that provides $42 billion nationwide to expand high-speed broadband access. 

But first, some tests are needed. Rosson is looking for about 10 people in Pinehurst, Kellogg, Wardner, Elizabeth Park, Wallace and Mullan to participate in challenge testing from June 3-30. If you have a non-satellite service that is at least 100 megabits upload by 20 megabits download  and do not experience those speeds, have tried to get service in the last six months been denied, or can get service, but it will take more than 10 days to hook it up, you are welcome to participate in the challenge testing.

Anchor locations which should have higher internet stability rates such as hospitals, fire stations and government buildings, can also participate.

Private properties can participate through their internet service provider. Link Up Idaho provides information to expand equitable access to the internet across the state.

About $580 million is up for grabs throughout the state to improve access to the internet in underserved areas.

Fiber is the highest goal BEAD funding hopes to achieve, with wireless as a comparable, but slightly less desirable goal.

“We’re standing here at the edge. We’re getting close,” Rosson said.

Currently, FCC broadband access mapping relies heavily on the bigger internet providers to say where service is provided. 

Internet speed testing shows the actual reality of mapping. 

The Idaho Office of Broadband will be heading up challenge tests to the current official mapping.

Shoshone County secured a USDA grant for $85,000 to use toward asset mapping and educational outreach. The funds will be used to widen the conversation and expand information about how broadband would add to infrastructure in the Silver Valley.

Sites in Link Up Idaho indicate needed community facilities that require stable internet, for example, like a medical site for kidney dialysis.

Internet affecting health care

Paul Lewis, CEO for Shoshone Medical Center,  spoke about the change planned to convert to a new record-keeping system in June for the hospital. With a shrinking workforce among health care workers, Lewis said the drive to add to resources to make technology aid the process has only grown stronger over time.

Currently, the digital SMC system has been online and operational in some shape for about 20 years, but the concern is if the internet infrastructure isn’t firmed up, it could gravely affect hospital technology. 

Improving telehealth in the Valley is part of a pressing need to close the transportation gap electronically because of the vast distances for specialized care. Better internet access would open up that digital highway and improve the medical system by adding stability. 

“We’re knocking down some of these barriers the insurance companies put up. Where health care is going is a lot more home monitoring,” Lewis said. 

Services and wireless

Jon Groth helps run both the Kingston Water District and Kingston and Cataldo Sewer District, and has been finding the radio transmitters the department uses for readings on the pipes have become out of date and he’s always searching for replacements.

The next generation of transmitters are cellular based and he estimates there are about five years left before the system becomes fully obsolete. If there isn’t a better cellular service in the Valley by that time, the department may be forced to go back to manual readings only because it will be the only reliable method based on connectivity.

He’s often forced to make a snap judgment on whether to stay and deal with a problem or run up the road far enough away to get a signal and call in reinforcements.

“Parts of those systems don’t have cell coverage,” Groth said.

Having reliable wireless service in Shoshone County could revolutionize the sewer and water systems.

“It would make those emergency response times quicker,” Groth said.

If you have questions about the BEAD challenge process or wish to get involved, contact Colleen Rosson at crosson@co.shoshone.id.us.

Learn more about the BEAD challenge here: https://linkup.idaho.gov/beadchallenge/

Information about Idaho Broadband initiatives are available here: https://commerce.idaho.gov/broadband/