Velocity is an internet service provider based in El Dorado, Kansas. It is part of the Butler Electric Cooperative, which was created back in 1938 when local electricity suppliers refused to provide service to rural residents. Velocity’s mission is to bridge the digital divide experienced by rural America by creating cost-efficient and reliable ways to provide high-speed internet service to Butler Coop’s members and surrounding communities.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many communities – rural and metro alike – experienced huge spikes in demand for reliable broadband access to the internet. Seemingly overnight, things such as distance learning, telehealth, telework, emergency services, connecting with friends and family or purchasing goods when stores have been closed were in extremely high demand. Rural communities that were already grappling with lagging internet speeds began this digital race at a disadvantage. With surging demand for connectivity, many rural providers couldn’t meet their constituents’ needs fast enough.
Download the case study here to learn how Velocity leveraged CBRS to connect a rural community.
