South Texas County Enters Broadband Partnership

A partnership between Cameron County and VTX1 will expand broadband service to underserved areas of South Texas, the Rio Grande Guardian reported this week.

County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr. and Patrick McDonnell, CEO of the Raymondville-based cooperative, signed a joint agreement Monday, Feb. 5.

The company, founded as the Valley Telephone Cooperative Inc., plans to spend $10 million for the estimated $100 million project. Project leaders will use federal grants for the remainder.

The planning includes Internet speeds of 100/500 MB per second at $30 for new and existing VTX1 customers.

COO Orlando Quintanilla said Cameron County has close to 200 colonias with a combined population of 55,000 people.

Phase 1 of the project will connect those living in Bluetown, Lozano, San Pedro and on Isla Blanca Park, South Padre Island.

“This is a fantastic day,” Quintanilla said of the partnership. “Having this new service is vital for education, for economic development and for health care.”

A longer version of this story originally appeared in the Rio Grande Guardian.