Pontotoc EPA announces it will no longer pursue broadband

On Monday, the Pontotoc Electric Power Association announced it will no longer pursue rural broadband internet for it's customers.

Authority to offer broadband service, at least one is saying it can't at this time.

Wtva's evan hensley is live in pontotoc where money seems to be the biggest obstacle.

For many people here in pontotoc county...broadband internet is something they have wanted..

The need for many grew after school children were sent home and businesses asked people to work from home.

On monday, pontotoc electric power association said they will not continue to look into offering it to their customers... ."

Jackie courson - pontotoc epa customer "the pepa board voted about a week ago to stop our broadband and today we found out in our public meeting we found out they had done that and it is very disappointing to me."

Pontotoc epa customer jackie courson doesn't understand why his electric power association pulled the plug on broadband internet... they released this statement on monday... after careful and long deliberations, the board of directors of pontotoc electric power association has voted to discontinue the fiber-to-the-home project at this time.

The astronomical cost for such a project, estimated to be between 43 and 48 million dollars, is not currently feasible for the cooperative.

It has courson asking how can other co-ops like tom bigbee and monroe county afford it but not pontotoc... "we might be getting some federal money to help with the cost of it.

It is not a cost it is an investment.

People all around of and other epa's have already voted to do it."

The pontotoc coutny resident said since many are home due to the coronavirus.... many are having to work from home and may have to leave home to even get manageable internet... "they talk about the telecoms. the telecoms are not going to bring you high fiber broadband for the cost and the service that we get from our electric power association."

Some universities and school districts have put out lists of places were people can go and park to get access to wifi.

Some restaurants have even encouraged people to use their parking lots to get wifi access.

We did speak with general manager chuck howell with the pontotoc electric power assocation late this afternoon.

He says they did have good response to the survey they sent out and conducted three studies about whether they could afford it.

Howell says only one said it could be done, with the other two saying the utility could not afford to offer it.

Public service commissioner brandon presley has been pushing the rural broadband plan and was disappointed at the decision.

He says there is a grass root effort forming to try and get the utility to change their decision.

Reporting live in pontotoc, eh wtva 9 news meantime...the natchez trace