ErieNet will be adding county-wide broadband service ....soon

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN).....Granted there has delays - mostly caused by garnering key approvals from state Public Service Commission - but Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said the ErieNet broadband service will soon be active.

Bringing nearly 400 miles of dark fiber brandband service to every town and city in the county has been one of Poloncarz's personal missions.

In fact, he has made it one of his hallmark talking points in recent "State of the County" addresses.

Erie County has allocated $36 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to underwrite ErieNet's broadband installations.

The intent, Poloncarz says, is to provide broadband service to rural and underserved areas within the county.

And, by contracting with final mile providers like, GoNetSpeed, the county is creating a competitive consumer-friendly environment where monthly charges may be reduced.

But, the hold up rests with the PSC who needs to allow ErieNet to tap into existing utility lines for its own fiber optic network.

"I thought it would be done by now," Poloncarz said. "Yes, I am frustrated."

So is Erie County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo, R-West Seneca.

Much of Lorigo's district cuts through swaths of towns where broadband service is minimal or non-existant.

"It seems like an empty promise to me," Lorigo said.

Where is the broadband service and why is it taking so long, Lorigo asks.

Lorigo presented a series of questions to Poloncarz about ErieNet but has yet to hear back from the county executive.

"I want to believe it is coming but where are the contracts?," Lorigo said. "Show me something."