WASHINGTON — Broadband access in southern Ohio is something that has been discussed for nearly 25 years. State and federal officials have claimed to have thrown millions — if not billions at broadband expansion. Despite this, many counties in southern Ohio, including places like Pike, Vinton, Meigs, and even parts of Ross counties remain without quality access to internet. While officials over the last two decades have been blowing smoke and spouting talking points and press releases claiming they were going to fix the issues, newly-elected freshman Congressman Dave Taylor, who represented Ohio’s Second Congressional District is crossing party lines to get things done.

Congressman Taylor represents Clermont, Clinton, Pike, Adams, Brown, Highland, Ross, Scioto, Pickaway, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson, Lawrence, Gallia, and Meigs counties, as well as part of Fayette County.

Rep. Taylor, R-Sardina, and Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., introduced the Rural Broadband Assistance Act on Wednesday, aiming to codify the Broadband Technical Assistance Program to help rural communities, including those in southern Ohio, access U.S. Department of Agriculture broadband funds. The program, established in 2021, provides grants to local governments, nonprofits, land-grant universities, Tribes, and businesses to navigate application processes, identify financing resources, and prepare necessary reports for broadband expansion.

The bill addresses a critical need in Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District, where many rural communities have been overlooked by USDA broadband programs focused on fiber optic development. In southern Ohio, inadequate broadband access hampers economic growth, education, and healthcare access, particularly in counties like Athens, Meigs, and Vinton.

Broadband Access Statistics in Southern Ohio

A 2019 Buckeye Hills Regional Council study found that 80% to 90% of households in low-density areas (20 or fewer households per square mile) in eight Appalachian counties—Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, and Washington—lack broadband access. In Monroe County, 71% of residents do not have adequate broadband, while Vinton County follows closely at 68%. Perry County reports at least 40% of residents without access.

Statewide, nearly 1 million Ohioans, representing 300,000 households, lack high-speed internet. In Ohio’s Appalachian region, which includes southern counties, about 75% of people and one-third of households do not meet the Federal Communications Commission’s minimum broadband speed of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload.

Challenges Facing Southern Ohio Counties

Southern Ohio’s rural counties face multiple barriers to broadband access:

  • Infrastructure Deficiencies: Many areas rely on outdated copper wires from the 1950s, incapable of supporting modern internet speeds. For example, in Amesville, Athens County, the fastest available speed is 5/1 Mbps, 20 times slower than the FCC minimum.
  • Topographical Challenges: The region’s rolling hills disrupt satellite and wireless signals, complicating connectivity. Wired infrastructure, which offers higher speeds, is often cost-prohibitive to install in sparsely populated areas.
  • Economic Constraints: High costs deter providers from investing in rural areas. In Jackson County, residents like the Dailey family experience speeds of 7 to 15 Mbps, insufficient for multiple simultaneous connections, impacting work and education.
  • Inaccurate Mapping: Internet providers often overstate coverage, as seen in Meigs County, where Frontier Communications claimed service to 14 households in a census block but provided only one with 10/1 Mbps. This misrepresentation excludes areas from federal funding eligibility.
  • Affordability: Even when access exists, monthly costs of $75 to $100 can be prohibitive for low-income households, forcing choices between internet and necessities like groceries.

Legislative Push and Support

“Just because broadband expansion programs exist doesn’t mean they’re easy to navigate,” Taylor said. “In small communities without dedicated grant writers, assistance could mean the difference between connectivity or none at all, with massive economic implications.”

Sorensen emphasized the bill’s efficiency, noting it leverages existing funds to connect rural Illinois and Ohio communities, boosting local economies without additional spending.

The Rural Broadband Assistance Act has garnered support from the National Association of Counties, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association.

“Counties are on the front lines of expanding high-speed internet,” said Matthew Chase, executive director of the National Association of Counties. “This act provides critical tools to close the digital divide.”

Taylor’s Broadband Advocacy

This marks Taylor’s third broadband-related bill in the 119th Congress. On March 27, 2025, he introduced the Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act, directing the U.S. Government Accountability Office to study low-orbit satellites’ potential for rural business connectivity under the Appalachian Regional Commission. On April 8, 2025, he introduced the Bridging the Broadband Gap Act, prioritizing affordability and expansion through satellite and fixed-wireless broadband, using Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program funds to cover 50% of initial receiver costs and $30 monthly for the first year. The bill prioritizes counties in the bottom 50% of per capita income, including 13 of the 16 counties in Ohio’s 2nd District.

The Rural Broadband Assistance Act’s text is available online. If passed, it could significantly enhance broadband access in southern Ohio, addressing a digital divide that leaves rural communities at a disadvantage in education, employment, and economic development.