Broadband in the Skagit Valley By Linda Tyler, Port of Skagit
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pportunities for broadband access continue to expand throughout Skagit County, a charge led by the Port of Skagit, an EDASC Investor, and a diverse and valuable group of partners.
The effort to improve rural broadband access dates back several years when the Port of Skagit conducted an East County Telecom Survey, uncovering harsh inadequacies in internet service performance, affordability, and availability. Responses revealed that merchants couldn’t process business transactions, students couldn’t complete their homework, teachers weren’t able to develop lesson
EDASC
plans, healthcare professionals were hindered in providing care to their patients, and more. These shortcomings were negatively impacting economic opportunities, livelihoods, sustainable jobs and quality of life. People rely on connectivity for education, employment, health care, economic opportunities, public health, safety, and other essential services daily. In response to this need, the Port began working in coordination with Skagit County, Skagit PUD, EDASC, and cities and towns throughout the county to develop a strategic plan for a community fiber optic network spanning across Skagit County, from Anacortes to Concrete. From that work, the Port of Skagit and Skagit PUD jointly created
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SkagitNet LLC to lead the efforts to design, construct and manage this network. This unique partnership between two public entities has brought great benefit to our community and local broadband effort, successfully securing more than $10 million in grants and loans from Skagit County, the state Public Works Board and Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB). To date, there are six internet service providers (ISPs) operating on the network, which reaches just beyond Sedro-Woolley to the east. These private sector ISPs lease the infrastructure to bring internet service to their customers, which in turn provides operating capital for the network. continued on pg. 30
SKAGIT BUSINESS GUIDE 2022
