Pine County officials, providers outline broadband build plans and remaining gaps

Pine County officials and internet providers on Tuesday reviewed four years of broadband work, described specific funded projects that will add fiber to thousands of homes, and asked providers for clearer maps showing what remains unserved.

"This has been on our radar the whole time," said Pine County Board Chair Josh Moore, Pine County commissioner for District 2, opening the meeting. He asked providers to explain "what it would take to get it done" in the county's hardest‑to‑serve places.

County economic development coordinator Lehi Sautter reviewed the county's work since 2021, saying Pine County used a mix of federal and state grants, county ARPA funds and a private donation to target low‑service areas. She noted a 2021 speed‑test and survey effort that showed many residents reporting no service, and that the county used mapping and grant awards to focus limited ARPA dollars where service was poorest.

Providers at the meeting described recent and planned buildouts. Scott Savage, vice president of business development for SCI Broadband (Savage Communications), said his company has built more than 300 miles of underground distribution fiber in the county and committed to roughly 400 more miles of builds over the next two years, targeting 2‑gigabit symmetrical fiber‑to‑the‑home service. Savage said SCI typically plans for a long‑term 50% take rate for new build areas…