Chenango County Department Director of Planning Shane Butler, Internet Wireless Corp (IWC) COO Shawn Smith, and Operator Terry Potter applied to the New York State office of community renewal for a $1.9 million community development block grant as part of the CARES act funding to expand a wireless broadband network in The City of Norwich and Town of New Berlin. (Photo by Kelli Miller)

CHENANGO COUNTY — When the internet isn’t what it should be and the cast of usual characters offer low speeds and high costs, it’s time to take action. Action is what took place when Chenango County Director of Planning and Development Shane Butler partnered with the Internet Wireless Corp (IWC).

IWC was created to offer a better wireless broadband network for the local area.

City of Norwich Mayor Brian Doliver said, “I think this is wonderful and so vital. In order to move forward into the future, we need to be up with the times and especially with so many working from home now, this will put us in the right direction.”

Butler said the New York State office of community renewal awarded a $1.9 million community development block grant as part of the CARES act funding, to expand a wireless broadband network in the City of Norwich and Town of New Berlin.

“The grant was applied for in 2020 and we were awarded the grant in 2021,” said Butler. “We requested a couple of extensions due to COVID; so obviously the equipment took a lot of delays in ordering but we're supposed to have this done by the end of the year.”