MCKEE, Ky. (LEX News) — Access to high-speed internet is an important resource for things like work, education, and communication. For much of the last two decades, one Jackson County-based company has provided some of the fastest internet connectivity in the country to the people of Jackson and Owsley Counties.
Most rural areas are full of areas of spotty cell signal and a lack of internet connection. When you get to McKee, however, that connection is just as good as, if not better than,even some of the biggest cities around the country.
Along Main Street, there are plenty of buildings with the PRTC logo on it, standing for Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative. Keith Gabbard is the CEO, and he’s led the charge in making sure people in eastern Kentucky have internet access.
“There are so many areas in eastern Kentucky that don't have the things that urban areas or other areas have,” Gabbard shared. “I just feel like everybody in eastern Kentucky deserves good broadband, good high-quality internet.”
Gabbard has been the CEO of PRTC for the past 30 years, but in May, he celebrated his 50th year of working with the company.
“One of the big goals of our company is just can we somehow help to provide a better quality of life in our communities,” Gabbard shared.
A big way to do that is to provide internet access. A strong connection means more rural Kentuckians have the option and opportunity to work from home. More rural kids can keep up with online education, especially in the winter months when snow keeps cars off of the winding roads. People and families have quicker access to resources like telemedicine.
“In the 1930s, when electric cooperatives were started, so many people in rural America didn't have electric,” said Gabbard. “I think the internet, high speed internet's almost, almost as important as electricity.”
From 2008 to 2014, PRTC took a chance and converted to an all-fiber network, moving away from the more traditional copper cables.
“It was a little risky,” Gabbard said. “It was new and, and especially splicing fiber was really expensive.”
Not only did the risk pay off, it put PRTC way ahead of the curve when fiber became more of the standard. It seemed like everybody wanted to know why two small eastern Kentucky counties were so far ahead when it came to having high-speed internet access.
“After that New Yorker [article] came out, I was on podcast in Canada and Portland, Oregon and everywhere else,” shared Gabbard. “Everybody was wanting to know, how do we build this fiber, because a lot of places didn't have it.”
As a leader in connectivity, Gabbard has continued the push to make sure underserved Kentuckians in rural communities can get connected.
“They're not going to get quality service if somebody like us doesn’t do it,” Gabbard said. “I love eastern Kentucky, and I think it's one of the best places in the world to live. If there's any way we can play a small part in making it better, I want to be a part of that.”
PRTC is expanding their network into other rural communities and counties outside of Jackson and Owsley. You can learn more about the network here.
Caleb Barnes is committed to covering stories in your community that matter to you. If you have an idea, reach out to him at caleb.barnes@wlex.tv
