Wilson, North Carolina, community broadband proves valuable during coronavirus outbreak

Wilson's (NC) community broadband, Greenlight, has stepped in to help teachers in the wake of COVID-19. Greenlight laid more than 3,000 feet of fiber optic cable to connect students and teachers and has added 150 new customers since the outbreak started. And they've seen outbound traffic skyrocket. Between Feb and April, outbound traffic increased by 23 percent in the 9 o'clock hour and 44 percent at noon. This is likely due to the rise of online conference calls. "The ability to absorb that increase in upload really goes to the value of next generation broadband," said Greenlight's General Manager Will Aycock. City leaders are hoping this helps to prove a point they've been trying to make since they started the project. High-speed internet is no longer a luxury.