Presley to meet with Union County Task Force on cellular service

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley announced on July 31st that the first meeting of the Union County Task Force on improving cellular telephone and high-speed internet service will be held on Thursday, August 9, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Union County Courthouse located at 114 East Bankhead Street in New Albany.

Union County Task Force members will join with over 250 North Mississippi residents to highlight the lack of cellular telephone service and high-speed internet service in the area.  Task forces will meet periodically to gather information, assist the Commission in identifying problem areas and collaborate with leaders on a solution, among other activities. Task force meetings will continue throughout the year and on into 2019.

Union County Task Force to aid in correcting FCC information on local service

Presley will ask the tasks force members to assist the Public Service Commission (PSC) in documenting the lack of cellular telephone service and data service by using a free smartphone app approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Currently, the FCC shows that Mississippi has adequate cellular telephone service and data service in almost every county. Because of this wrong information, Mississippi is in danger of losing millions in federal funding for cellular telephone towers in rural areas. To preserve the funding, the Mississippi Public Service Commission is issuing a formal challenge to the FCC’s maps field tests by PSC employees and task force members will assist in documenting the lack of service.

“Rural Mississippi has an infrastructure crisis in the lack of cellular telephone service and high-speed internet service. Mississippians are sick and tired of paying for a service that doesn’t work or being told that providers have no intention of serving their areas. That is unacceptable to me and through the help of these citizen task forces, we are going to highlight this problem and demand answers,” Presley said. “The information gathered that we will use to prove that the FCC’s maps for funding are wrong will be due soon, so we have a lot of work to do in a very short time. That is why citizen volunteers are so very important.”

“While we have had many volunteers, we always welcome more. This meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to attend,” said Commissioner Presley.

Anyone interested in serving on the task force should contact Commissioner Presley’s office at 1-800-637-7722

State-wide Task Forces’ initial meetings:

Lafayette County Task Force
Monday, August 6, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Lafayette County Chancery Building, Courtroom 1
300North Lamar, Oxford, MS

Lee County Task Force
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Lee County Justice Center
200 West Jefferson, Tupelo, MS

Itawamba County Task Force
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.
Itawamba County Courthouse
201 West Main Street, Fulton, MS

Pontotoc County Task Force
Thursday, August 9, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Chancery Clerk Building
34 South Liberty Street, Pontotoc, MS

Union County Task Force
Thursday, August 9, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.
Union County Courthouse
114 East Bankhead Street, New Albany, MS

Prentiss County Task Force
Monday, August 13, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Prentiss County Courthouse
101 North Main Street, Booneville, MS

Alcorn County Task Force
Monday, August 20, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Alcorn County Courthouse
600 East Waldron Street, Corinth, MS

Tishomingo County Task Force
Monday, August 20, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.
Tishomingo County Courthouse, Upstairs Courtroom
1008 Battleground Drive, Iuka, MS

For more details of connectivity issues in Mississippi:  http://www.psc.state.ms.us/Commissioners/northern/northern.html   and  http://nanewsweb.com/kelly-examines-small-rural-businesses/