ALBION - Over 25 area leaders, elected officials, and internet service providers met this week to have a discussion about broadband services in Noble County.

The Noble County Economic Development Corporation hosted the event. The discussion was in response to recent studies and surveys by various organizations that identify a lack of broadband services, and that broadband connectivity is a major factor considered by home builders, buyers, and businesses when choosing where to build, live, and operate.

The EDC’s objectives for having the discussion were to provide ISPs a chance to meet the people and organizations in the county they might collaborate with, to hear about the challenges they face, and to determine next steps to help overcome them.

Representatives from LigTel Communications, Watch Communications, and Mercury Wireless attended the discussion. The three providers were invited because each had recently sought letters of support from the EDC and others in Noble County to accompany their applications for NextLevel Connections funding. NextLevel Connections is a $100 million state grant program announced by Governor Eric Holcomb last September. It aims to bring high speed, affordable broadband access to unserved and underserved areas of the state.