Microsoft & Agile Networks Team Up On Rural Broadband In Ohio

Agile Networks and Microsoft are teaming up on an effort to expand rural broadband in Ohio. The project is part of Microsofts five year initiative to bring broadband to far-flung parts of the US. The partnership will reach 110,000 underserved people in Ohio.

Agile already has network infrastructure in place in Ohio and will use part of that as well as TV White Space broadband to transmit data long distances.

“People across the state, no matter where they choose to live, work and send their children to school, should have the same access to strong, reliable broadband service,” said Kyle Quillen, Agile Networks Founder and CEO. “This partnership will have an impact on more than 900,000 people across the state of Ohio, of whom 110,000 completely lack access to broadband.”

Agile and Microsoft will also be working to bring connectivity to anchor institutions including hospitals and first responders.

The partnership between Agile and Microsoft follows one Microsoft made last month with RTO Wireless to increase connectivity in Maine and New York. That project will also use TV White Space Broadband and the Citizens Broadband Radio Service. Both technologies are designed to use the long-range transmission capabilities of TV and Radio to transmit data and have emerged as possible economic solutions for giving rural populations high-speed access.