FCC Chairman joins Sen. Wicker for high-speed internet announcement

FULTON, Miss. (WCBI) – A federal effort to make high speed internet available to rural America is having an impact on one Northeast Mississippi town.

A groundbreaking marked the official launch of the Fulton Telephone Company’s broadband initiative known as “Fiber to the Home.”

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker was joined by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who has made bridging the digital divide a top priority. In fact, the commission is working to expand broadband deployment in rural America.

Through this project, the Fulton Telephone Company will bring the fastest internet to its customers.

“This is all about education, about job creation, about living life better and making a better future for people and for families, ” said Sen. Wicker.

“As chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Wicker has been a champion of making sure every American, every Mississippian gets an opportunity to succeed, in 21st century, increasingly that means access to digital technologies, taking our cue from Senator Wicker we’ve made closing that digital divide our top priority,” said Pai.

After the ceremonial groundbreaking, the FCC Chairman and the Senator came to “The Caffeinated Indian” a local coffee shop, where the two put the broadband speed to the test.

ICC students said having high-speed internet access gives them unlimited opportunities.

“It’s vital we have internet fast and working to get all of our work done,” said ICC sophomore Addie Bridges.

“Our books are online too now, so having internet being fast helps get all of our work done and it not take more hours than it already does,” said ICC sophomore Caroline Sutton.

Senator Wicker and the FCC Chairman will be at the Ole Miss Tech Summit in Oxford on Wednesday