UNION— When the internet cuts out mid-session, licensed therapist Krissy Kearns has more to worry about than a frozen screen.
Working from her home in Monroe County, Kearns provides telehealth counseling to patients, some of whom are in crisis. She follows strict protocols when someone is at risk. But dropped connections can suddenly sever those lifelines.
To lower the odds of that happening, she pays about $300 a month for both Frontier and Starlink. But even with two providers, the connection can still buckle.
She said she has to carefully manage how many programs she keeps open during appointments and often finishes paperwork later in the day.
“I’ve had several instances where I have had high-acuity patients with mental health needs, and I’ve lost service,” she said. “It’s concerning.”
West Virginia has committed hundreds of millions of federal dollars to broadband expansion and more in matching funds.
But the state still lags behind other states, as 11% of households lack broadband subscriptions. This is because of West Virginia’s terrain, aging infrastructure and disputes between utility companies.
State officials say federally funded broadband projects are expected to connect thousands of Monroe County homes and businesses over the coming years.
But until construction reaches them, residents say they’re paying hundreds of dollars each month for unreliable service, leaving many wondering when the promises will translate into working internet at their homes.
They say spotty internet isn’t just an inconvenience for streaming movies. It shapes whether they can work remotely, run small businesses, get healthcare and stay connected to emergency services.
Many have resorted to paying for multiple internet providers, phone hotspots and other workarounds because they say affordable, reliable broadband is still out of reach.
Making do without broadband
Sharyn Ogden didn’t wait for broadband to reach her farm outside of Peterstown. For years, the retired accountant relied on Verizon’s cellular network and hotspot service while working remotely after the pandemic.
She even purchased a device to extend her signal, so she could process payroll for multiple companies at home.
“I didn’t have any hiccups,” she said. “But the service was literally based off my phone.”
Traditional broadband ends about a mile from her home, and wireless providers have told her expanding farther would require more towers because of the terrain.
“We pretty much have nothing down here,” she said.
State officials say Monroe County has remained one of West Virginia’s hardest places to connect because of its mountainous terrain, low population and aging infrastructure.
The county’s national forest land, sections of the Appalachian Trail and other protected areas can also slow permitting and construction, said Kelly Workman, director of the West Virginia Office of Broadband.
Workman said Monroe County has several major expansion projects planned or underway through multiple federal programs. The county is set to connect thousands of homes and businesses with providers including Gigabeam and Citynet.
Even so, officials acknowledge that maps and project announcements don’t always reflect what residents experience on the ground.
“Maps only tell part of the story,” Workman said.
Paying more for peace of mind
Outside Union, Dana Hiner and her husband pay about $170 each month for satellite internet, even though they rely on Social Security and a part-time paycheck. The service is better than what they had before, she said, but the cost strains their budget.
“That’s $200 that should be going toward medicine and groceries in my book,” she said.
Hiner said she’d rather drive to the library to check her email and pay bills than continue paying a high monthly bill. But unreliable cell service near her home means she still needs internet access in case of emergencies.
The frustration, she said, isn’t just the cost. For years, she has watched elected officials promise better broadband service.
“Every election they talked and talked,” she said. “I haven’t seen any action or any change.”
Del. Rick Hillenbrand, R-Hampshire, introduced a bill to give internet customers relief from paying for internet service when it drops, because he said residents in his district were having numerous internet outages lasting days.
The bill would’ve required providers to credit customers’ bills and given the Attorney General the authority to bring civil suits against companies that failed to do so. Last year, the state reached a $119 million settlement against a provider with a history of poor customer service.
But even as the state invests in expanding broadband infrastructure, lawmakers this year didn’t put any proposals on their agendas aimed at protecting internet customers and holding providers more accountable.
Another bill would’ve authorized state regulators to oversee internet companies. The Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee didn’t put it on its agenda. It would’ve allowed regulators at the Public Service Commission to impose fines of up to $7,000 on providers.
Sen. Vince Deeds, R-Greenbrier, said lawmakers have spent several years working to bring federal broadband funding to the region. But construction has taken longer than expected because crews first had to replace utility poles and other infrastructure.
“The people in Monroe County have suffered too long not having adequate internet,” he said. “But service is coming.”
While Deeds said relief is on the way, Kearns said she’ll believe it when she no longer needs multiple internet providers just to make it through a workday.
She moved to Monroe County to build a life in a rural community and provide mental health care to people who need it. But she said living in a rural county shouldn’t mean giving up access to the same technology available elsewhere.
She asked, “Why do I pay the same taxes that other people pay, but I can’t access the same resources?”