Fruitvale Residents Awaiting High-Speed Internet Service

FRUITVALE—High-speed Internet access is scheduled to come to Fruitvale and the surrounding area, but there has been a slight delay.

Fruitvale Mayor Carl Waddell said he was unsure what caused the delay that forced postponement of a ceremony marking the arrival of broadband service to the area and the Fruitvale Community Center.

The ceremony had been set for Aug. 9 but will be rescheduled once the equipment and service are in place, Waddell said Wednesday.

"We hope to have it running within the week, and by word of mouth get folks onboard and have a big kickoff to make it public," he said.

The broadband service is being provided through AT&T High-Speed Internet.

Despite the delay, Waddell and other community leaders are excited about what the service will mean to residents in the north central part of Van Zandt County.

"Everyone in the community is anxious and excited about this and I guess that is the unpleasant part of having to wait," Waddell said.

Up to this point, most Fruitvale area residents have had only dial-up Internet access available at home, aside from those who have subscription satellite service that included Internet access.

The United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Utilities Program approved a project grant to PC One Cable to bring another high-speed Internet option to the area.

The service will also be available at the Fruitvale Community Center, where people will be able to use one of 10 computers being installed there or pick up a wireless signal if they bring their own laptop computer, Waddell explained.

"It’s going to enable Fruitvale residents to access the Internet, and it’s open to anyone in the community at large who needs access. We will offer times people can come in and utilize the service," he said.

The press release for the grand opening ceremony indicated a 9 a.m.-5 p.m. scheduled Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 9 a.m.-noon on Saturdays.

Waddell also said there are plans to have a volunteer instructor available by appointment to provide some computer program training for those in the community.

This technological development comes quickly on the heels of two school district-related additions, the distance learning lab and the T-STEM (Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program that begins this fall at Fruitvale High School.

"I think this will really support and compliment what they (Fruitvale ISD) are doing in that way. It is something that can touch every age group and every group in the community to enhance their life in some way, if not a very large way," Waddell said.