City of Woodbury Broadband Connectivity
Leading the Way in Publicly Owned WISP Networking
The City of Woodbury improved community connectivity access through its participation in the 2021 Georgia Smart Communities Challenge.
“We want to be a part of a community research program that empowers our small, rural, mid-Georgia city through a smart local development program that brings expert opinions and ideas to the table to meet and overcome the challenges we face today and those challenges we will face in years to come.”
– Steve Ledbetter, Mayor of Woodbury
As the first city designated “Broadband Ready” by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Woodbury pioneered an innovative pathway for communities historically underserved by traditional broadband infrastructure. After establishing a publicly owned wireless internet service provider (WISP) network in 2020, city officials collaborated with surrounding communities to help them pursue similar connectivity strategies. The network ultimately provided wireless internet access to more than 50 households and businesses both within city limits and in neighboring areas.
To better understand the broader applicability of this model across Georgia, Georgia Tech researchers Ada Gavrilovska and Ellen Zegura partnered with the City of Woodbury to conduct foundational research focused on improving and expanding the network while documenting the implementation process as a replicable model for other Georgia communities. The research team also explored additional community applications enabled through expanded wireless connectivity.
One proposed application was the Meriwether County AgTech Center for Innovation (MACI). Once fully developed, the center was envisioned as a multidisciplinary institution dedicated to advancing innovative solutions for sustainable food and energy systems through technology and mechanization. Georgia Tech researchers explored opportunities to support the center’s advancement through connectivity-focused research and infrastructure planning.
