Most Lafayette County residents  who decide to live “in the country” agree the reason they choose to do so is because it is peaceful and inviting, but a major drawback is the lack of technology that can be provided.

While within the city limits of Oxford, some areas have very slow-speed internet service due to a lack of infrastructure to provide the technology.

Supervisor Kevin Frye has made it a mission to improve rapid and reliable internet service to county residents and businesses by visiting with elected officials in Jackson, as well as leaders of internet providers. He has also sought the input from those directly impacted by either non-existent or unreliable technology.

“Early this year I began meeting with a group of Lafayette County residents interested in updating existing broadband infrastructure in our community,” Frye said. “After much discussion, the group formed the Connect LOU initiative in cooperation with my office.”

The goal of Connect LOU is to

•increase access to affordable broadband in the rural parts of the community

• increase the speed and reliablity of existing broadband infrastructure throughout the LOU community

• grow the local economy by establishing the technological backbone that modern industry requires to compete in a global marketplace

• demonstrate to the world that LOU is a community of vision.

Connect LOU has also developed a website, www.connectlou.org, that goes live on Monday where residents can stay connected and informed on developments to improve internet service.

Scott Iverson is among those involved in the Connect LOU initiative and telecommutes to an office in New York as part of his job with Fortune 1000 clients around the nation.

“From video presentations to file sharing, my ability to effectively project myself to co-workers and clients hinges on reliable, fast internet,” Iverson said in a testimonial on the website.

“I am also a father who knows that the next generation of well-paying jobs, from manufacturing to high tech, will require my son to have access to world class digital resources across his entire academic career. I support this campaign because I want to be successful. I want the kids of LOU to be successful, and I want this community to demonstrate that it is serious about sustainable growth for all citizens.”