neighbors when it comes to offering broadband ,” he says . “ Right now , we just don ’ t compete ; it ’ s as simple as that . When we put more fiber on the poles , we can connect that fiber to homes and provide them with broadband service . With fiber on the pole , we can expand 5G technology throughout the state by bringing reliable cellular service to clusters of homes where service is subpar or nonexistent . We have to provide opportunities for our young people to want to stay in West Virginia .”
Blair knows there is a wealth of opportunity in Almost Heaven , and he would love to see West Virginia ’ s population grow by at least 400,000 people over the next 10 years .
“ Population growth will bring with it more commerce , more opportunity and more ways for West Virginia to be a global competitor ,” he says . “ The expansion of broadband throughout the state can be an economic driver like no other . West Virginia already attracts thousands of visitors every year because of our unbelievably beautiful scenery and natural attractions . We have to find a way to get them to stay and call West Virginia home , especially in a post-pandemic world . The pandemic proved that traditional , brick-and-mortar offices aren ’ t required to get jobs done anymore . Reliable , high-speed broadband internet is . We have every tool at our disposal to become the best place in the world to live — it just takes a little courage and a little bit of faith to make the kinds of changes we ’ re proposing this year . Big ideas and wholesale changes are tough to embrace for a lot of people , but I truly believe that doing it piece by piece , one small step at a time , won ’ t change West Virginia . We ’ re past that . It ’ s time to go big .” •
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