WENTWORTH, Nov 24, 2009 (News and Record - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Rockingham County commissioners moved forward Monday in their pursuit of countywide broadband Internet access by hiring a company to conduct an engineering study.

The board approved paying The Howell Group of Waynesville up to $49,000 to determine how the county could best accommodate the fiber optic cables or wireless transmitter sites for fast-speed service. The county will pay the company $41,000 to conduct the study and possibly an additional $8,000 to help the county's Business & Technology Center apply for federal stimulus money.

The board did not discuss the proposed McMichael Civic Center, nor the Madison/Mayodan branch library, as previously planned.

Mark Wells, the technology center's executive director, said he did not know how much it would cost or how long it would take to expand broadband access. Three areas have the largest gaps in coverage: the Bethany community; the northwestern portion of the county; and the N.C. 704 corridor between Wentworth and Madison.

"Total cost for a project could be $2 million, could be $10 million," Wells said after the meeting. Wells said that the center has considered increasing its chances of receiving money by partnering with broadband-needy Stokes and Caswell counties to apply for a regional grant.

Rockingham leaders identified broadband Internet access as high on the region's priority list, on par with water and electricity service. Residents have complained that their dial-up Internet service is not fast enough to take advantage of many business opportunities.

"It's just one of those things where we need to jump on the bandwagon and get it done rather than wait until it's too late and all the funds are exhausted," said Amelia Dallas, board chairwoman, after the meeting. The Howell Group's work needs to wrap up within the next three months so that the county can apply in time for the last grant cycle.

Whether the county would own the infrastructure is unclear, Wells said. However, he'd like private industry involved in the project. "I don't think Rockingham County wants to be in the broadband business." Contact Morgan Josey Glover at 627-1781, Ext. 119 or morgan.josey@news-record.com To see more of the News & Record or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.news-record.com. Copyright (c) 2009, News and Record, Greensboro, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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