Central Access tells Chilton County commission grant-funded broadband work will finish this summer
February 25, 2026 | Chilton County, Alabama
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Connie Bainbridge, a representative of Central Access, told the Chilton County Commission that the cooperative is nearing completion of grant-funded broadband construction in the county and across its service territory.
“We will be finished construction in all of the grants” by the end of the summer, Bainbridge said, adding some Rural Digital Opportunity Fund areas will extend into 2026. She said Central Access has been working on deployment for about three years, secured grants, and formed local partnerships to accelerate buildout.
Bainbridge said the cooperative serves roughly 24,000 customers in its membership across central Alabama and reported take rates that vary by area: “some of our areas have about a 70… higher than 70% take rate, some 60% take rate. Some of our Adeccah areas are 38, 40% take rate.” She described those lower-rate areas as “the harder to serve areas” with more dispersed households and lower disposable incomes.
A resident who spoke during the meeting praised Central Access’s approach, saying the company “worked out a way if you could possibly work it out” to serve places other providers would not, and that family members in Thorsby are now satisfied with the service after prior difficulties.
Bainbridge said Central Access has been meeting and exceeding the benchmarks it set for the grants, is handling paperwork and reimbursements as a pilot for grant procedures, and intends to continue organic growth of subscriptions before developing a formal strategic plan. She thanked the commission for its financial support of the Chilton County grants and offered to return with a formal presentation later.
The Central Access report was delivered during the commission’s organization reports; commissioners did not take a separate vote on the update.
What’s next: Bainbridge said technical or contract questions would require follow-up with staff and offered to return to the commission with additional information at a future meeting.
“We will be finished construction in all of the grants” by the end of the summer, Bainbridge said, adding some Rural Digital Opportunity Fund areas will extend into 2026. She said Central Access has been working on deployment for about three years, secured grants, and formed local partnerships to accelerate buildout.
Bainbridge said the cooperative serves roughly 24,000 customers in its membership across central Alabama and reported take rates that vary by area: “some of our areas have about a 70… higher than 70% take rate, some 60% take rate. Some of our Adeccah areas are 38, 40% take rate.” She described those lower-rate areas as “the harder to serve areas” with more dispersed households and lower disposable incomes.
A resident who spoke during the meeting praised Central Access’s approach, saying the company “worked out a way if you could possibly work it out” to serve places other providers would not, and that family members in Thorsby are now satisfied with the service after prior difficulties.
Bainbridge said Central Access has been meeting and exceeding the benchmarks it set for the grants, is handling paperwork and reimbursements as a pilot for grant procedures, and intends to continue organic growth of subscriptions before developing a formal strategic plan. She thanked the commission for its financial support of the Chilton County grants and offered to return with a formal presentation later.
The Central Access report was delivered during the commission’s organization reports; commissioners did not take a separate vote on the update.
What’s next: Bainbridge said technical or contract questions would require follow-up with staff and offered to return to the commission with additional information at a future meeting.
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