Officials in Jackson County, Florida, say the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the need for more high-speed internet connections in the region. Jackson County Administrator Wilanne Daniels says a network that would provide more connections in unserved areas would cost about $50 million. Daniels says that cost is beyond the means of the county, which means funding must come from elsewhere. The county has applied for federal and state grants, but they do not cover the total cost of the network. Officials say if enough funding is collected, it could take five to six years to build the fiber-optic network.

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