WEST VIRGINIA – Tens of thousands of West Virginians will miss out on broadband upgrades under Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s new $1.2 billion plan, according to an investigation by Mountain State Spotlight.
A redefinition of broadband service stands to leave around 100,000 West Virginians in 40,000 households without access to reliable, hardwired, fiber-to-the-home internet access. The reclassification counts fixed wireless internet access via cell towers as “broadband.”
A federal rule change reclassified tens of thousands of fixed wireless households as already “served,” cutting the number of eligible homes by 35%. That means just 74,000 households now qualify, down from 114,000. Critics say the shift favors slower, less reliable options like fixed wireless and satellite instead of fiber, which is better suited for West Virginia’s terrain. Mountains and hills can block wireless internet and cellular service, even with expensive “booster” devices that purport to amplify signals.
According to Mountain State Spotlight, “For families, the reclassification doesn’t mean better service, only that slower, less reliable connections are being treated as good enough in a state where mountains and hollows already challenge wireless signals.”
Fixed wireless internet delivers connectivity through radio signals broadcast from towers, instead of using fiber cables or satellites, Mountain State Spotlight explains. Homes pick up these signals with a small antenna or fixed router, typically installed near a window or on the roof. Signals come from 5G home Wi-Fi devices from carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
Most of the state’s broadband dollars will go to Citynet, Frontier, and Comcast, while Starlink will receive only 1%. The plan also leaves nearly half the federal money unspent, with some funds redirected to expand cell coverage.
Federal officials argue a previous proposal could have covered all homes with faster, hardwired fiber connections.
