SmartCom looks to partner with Cameron County to close the digital divide

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Cameron County Commissioners Court has launched a “County-Wide Broadband Expansion Project.”The Court wants to work with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to draw down millions of dollars from the state and/or federal government in order that the entire county has access to high-speed internet.  “Our goal is to make the service available to all the people of Cameron County,” said Cameron County Commissioner David Garza.“We want all of the kids to be able to access it and be able to do distance learning. We want to make sure that folks that need telemedicine can get counseled and taken care of at home if they need to be. It's a critical piece of a utility now. It is not a luxury. As the judge said, it's a necessity.”County commissioners issued a Request For Proposals under the “County-Wide Broadband Expansion Project.” It is RFP No. 230102. Four ISPs were asked to make their pitch to be the County’s partner. One of the four is SmartCom. Here is an audio recording of the presentation SmartCom made to county commissioners. Their representative was Daniel Saenz. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.