Assemblyman David "Billy" Jones, D-Chateaugay (Photo provided)

ALBANY — Several upstate lawmakers complained Tuesday that many rural New Yorkers lack access to high-speed broadband despite Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s pledge to extend the coverage to all parts of the state.

The concerns arose at a legislative oversight hearing scrutinizing the state’s economic development programs headed by Howard Zemsky, a Cuomo appointee who was peppered with questions by lawmakers voicing concerns about the upstate economy.

“This is the No. 1 concern of the (constituent) calls that come into my office,” Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay, advised Zemsky.

Jones also called for greater state investment in the state’s effort to build out broadband coverage.

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Rosy picture

Zemsky, chief executive officer at Empire State Development, said the state government has “made commitments” to spend $500 million in public money, with telecommunications companies already putting in more than that sum. His agency oversees the state’s broadband program.

He painted a rosy picture of the upstate region, noting the unemployment rate has been cut in half and suggesting that the cities of Buffalo and Rochester are flourishing as a result of the Cuomo administration’s efforts to spark economic recovery in those places.

“We’re doing a lot, holistically, to improve the environment for businesses upstate,” Zemsky said, adding: “It is a much different economic environment than it was not that many years ago.”

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Lackluster economy

But Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, contended the state’s strategy hasn’t been working well across the upstate area.

“There are vast, vast parts of upstate New York that are actually losing population, and I think primarily it’s because of a lackluster economy,” Seward said.

“People leave to pursue better opportunities elsewhere.”

Seward also recommended that the Cuomo administration increase its investment in the broadband program, noting that an alternative satellite service provided by HughesNet is viewed as “unreliable” by some consumers.

Zemsky said the HughesNet internet service has been operating at speeds of 15 mbps, but is expected to increase to 25 mbps soon as a result of the introduction of improved technology.

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Includes satellite

He also said that 99.9 percent of the households in the state are expected to have broadband access by the end of this year, acknowledging that estimate includes those who will be taking the satellite signal.

Currently, about 98 percent of New York households can get broadband, officials said.

State leaders have said that before New York’s broadband initiative began several years ago, some 30 percent had no access.