BROADBAND

The Port of Whitman County recognizes that high-speed internet service is essential for our rural communities to prosper. Reliable broadband connects our community to the greater global market, allowing for better connectivity, increased resilience, and greater economic growth.

current BROADBAND projects in whitman county

The Port obtained funding through CERB to build fiber-to-the-premise in the following locations:

Northern Whitman County

West of Tekoa
Homes north of Pine City

Southern Whitman County

Sunshine Road, east of Pullman
Kitzmiller Road, north of Pullman

The Port plans to procure a construction contract in late July/early August with work likely to begin in September or October. There may be delays in construction dependent on weather and road restrictions, which could push the project into the spring of 2026.

the PORT'S Broadband HISTORY

In the mid-1990s, the Port of Whitman recognized the need within Whitman County for high bandwidth internet access. Port commissioners and staff concluded that the Port was the perfect entity to build this high-tech infrastructure. This plan, however, ran into two roadblocks:

1. Federal boundary and reimbursement rules prevented the county’s telecommunications companies from offering modern services.

2. The Port lacked the legal authority to build the infrastructure.

Understanding the importance of internet accessibility, the Port began lobbying for new state broadband legislation. Success came in 2000 when Washington State lawmakers signed Substitute Senate Bill 6675 into law. The bill authorizes ports and public utility districts to build broadband infrastructure and offer wholesale telecommunications services.

Since then, the Port has built over 300 miles of dark fiber across Whitman County.

Commissioner John E. Love shakes hands with Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke at the bill signing of SSB 6675.

The Port of Whitman County’s broadband work generates $31.5 million in output and supports 125 jobs annually, including multiplier effects.

Related News

Rebekah Huber

Port of Whitman County Awarded $2.49 Million CERB Broadband Grant

Funding will bring high-speed broadband to rural areas of Whitman County

Sarah Highfield

Port Receives $1.1 Million Grant to Expand Recent Whitman County Fiber to the Home Project

Project will serve approximately 104 homes on outskirts of Palouse, Garfield, Oakesdale, Tekoa and Rosalia

Frequently Asked Questions

What is fiber?

Fiber or fiber optic cable refers to the human-hair sizes glass cable used to transmit electronic data. Data transmission through fiber optic cable is one of the swiftest forms of data transmission.

What does the Port of Whitman have to do with fiber?

Since the early 2000s, the Port has installed, owned, operated and maintained a fiber optic network backbone in Whitman County. This network is part of the Port’s ongoing work to facilitate economic development in the region.

Why invest in fiber?

As a Washington State Port District, the Port of Whitman County is authorized to invest in infrastructure that facilitates economic development. Broadband infrastructure promotes economic growth and rural prosperity through connectivity. As a government entity, the Port can target a longer-term return on investment than private companies. It can also acquire grant funding to help with project costs.

Is the Port an internet provider?

No, the Port is not an internet provider. The Port does not operate the electronics that transmit the data. It provides the infrastructure to allow for that transmission. The Port leases its publicly owned fiber to for-profit internet service providers in what is known as a “dark fiber model.”

What does Fiber-to-the-Home mean?

Fiber-to-the-home delivers high-speed internet connectivity right to individual homes. The Covid-19 pandemic revealed the importance of reliable connectivity in private residences. Federal Covid recovery funds encouraged construction of broadband infrastructure. The Port took advantage of the funding opportunity and completed FTTH projects in Rosalia, Palouse, Garfield, Oakesdale, Tekoa, Pine City, Steptoe, and Diamond.