Expanding Internet Access in Albany County, Wyoming

Albany County, Wyoming: Charlie Magee

Charlie Magee (left) and Matt Larsen (right)

In December 2021, Vistabeam expanded its existing infrastructure to provide much-needed broadband internet to the community of Albany County, Wyoming. The project was several years in the making and only initially materialized due to the thoughtfulness and urges of Charlie Magee.

Charlie approached us in 2019 after having a poor experience with his previous internet service provider. Broadband internet in Albany County, Wyoming was noticeably scarce. However, Charlie’s location at the Wild Horse Ranch subdivision was an ideal location for a repeater to extend service into the development and initiate broadband internet to a section of Albany County, Wyoming. 

However, our efforts did not end there. With Charlie’s help, we assembled a plan to extend broadband internet to the rest of Albany County. Thanks to his kindness, Charlie allowed us to use his location and helped out even more. He also connected Vistabeam with several fire stations and landowners in the area willing to let us build infrastructure into previously unserved and underserved areas of Albany County. All of these endeavors to expand internet access in the region led to the successful construction of nine new cell towers. The project was part of the 2020 CARES Act grants that Vistabeam completed for the State of Wyoming that extended broadband internet coverage to over 1,500 unserved or underserved households in Albany County, Wyoming. The investment totaled approximately $1.2 million. 

The successful and prompt completion of this massive project to expand broadband internet in Albany County, Wyoming owes a great deal to Charlie’s help. As such, Vistabeam has awarded Charlie with the Broadband Champion Award, designated for his commitment to ensuring the availability of quality broadband internet in his community.

Broadband Champion

As part of Vistabeam’s commitment to expanding services throughout rural Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, we have created the Broadband Champion Award to inspire community members to advocate for faster internet for their unserved and underserved communities. Charlie exhibits all the traits of a broadband champion. Traditionally, Albany County, Wyoming was a community that has struggled with receiving quality broadband internet. Now, thanks to Charlie’s efforts in extending internet access beyond his home, his entire community can enjoy access to broadband internet in a time where such services are as essential as utilities like water and gas.

Community Partnerships

Vistabeam Internet works to improve access to internet connections in underprivileged communities through efforts like our community partnerships. Learn more on our community partnerships page if you’d like to help extend broadband internet access in your community, just like Charlie in Albany County, Wyoming. Vistabeam’s comprehensive and robust broadband infrastructure system can provide connectivity to many rural locations in Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming. We appreciate the opportunity to work with anyone, whether for homes, businesses, or schools. We also promote and help county and school district administrators with broadband funding applications.

At Vistabeam, we pride ourselves on delivering extraordinary connections with our quality internet and service.