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Transcript: Community Broadband Bits Episode 268
This is the transcript for episode 268 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. Jon Chambers of Conexon once again joins the show. This time Jon dives into the details of the Connect America Fund program and discusses the upcoming Connect America Fund auction. Listen to this episode here.
Jon Chambers: Rural Americans, have the same aspirations, the same needs, the same uses of the Internet as everyone else. It shouldn't surprise anyone when I say, rural Arkansans, rural Missourians subscribe to gigabit services too. It does surprise people. It surprises people at the FCC, it surprises policy makers. Doesn't surprise people who live and work and spend their lives in rural America.
Lisa Gonzalez: This is episode 268 of The Community Broadband Bits Podcast from The Institute For Local Self-Reliance, I'm Lisa Gonzalez. As the question of how best to bring high quality Internet access to rural America becomes more pressing, rural cooperatives are rapidly taking a leading role. This week's guest, Jon Chambers, works with electric cooperatives that decide they want to offer high speed connectivity. Jon spent time working for the FCC and has a special understanding of how the agency approaches review and funding for telecommunications. In this conversation, he and Christopher talk about the Connect America Fund. Learn more about Jon's firm, visit their website at conexon.us. Now, here's Christopher and Jon Chambers from Conexon.
Christopher Mitchell: Welcome to another edition of The Community Broadband Bits Podcast. I'm Chris Mitchell at The Institute For Local Self-Reliance. Today, I'm once again with Jon Chambers, a partner at Conexon. Welcome back to the show Jon.
Jon Chambers: Thank you Chris. Thanks for inviting me.
Christopher Mitchell: You've been on the show multiple times recently, talking about how rural electric cooperatives can basically solve this problem for all of rural America. Do you want to briefly remind us what Conexon is?
Jon Chambers: Rethinking The Rules on The Connect America Fund - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 268
Jon Chambers, a partner at Conexon, returns to visit us this week to talk about rural connectivity and the approaching Connect America Fund (CAF) auction. Conexon works with electric cooperatives to establish high-quality Internet networks for members, typically in rural areas where national providers don’t offer the kinds of services communities need.
Having spent time at the FCC to examine several of their spending programs, Jon Chambers is our go-to guest to discuss next year’s Connect America Fund auction. In this interview, Jon and Chris talk about some of the problems that plague the program and how potential new bidding and award rules will set future deployment standards. Jon gets into where the rules fall short on expanding rural connectivity and offers suggestions for a more consumer driven approach.
For more details on Jon’s thoughts about how to improve the bidding process for the Connect America Fund, check out his article, The Risk of Fraudulent Bidding in the FCC Connect America Fund Auction, on the Conexon blog.
To comment on the FCC proceedings on Competitive Bidding Procedures and Certain Program Requirements for the Connect America Fund Phase II Auction, submit your thoughts at the FCC website under proceeding Docket 17-182 and Docket 10-90.
For more information on rural electric cooperatives and their efforts to bring high-quality connectivity to their members, listen to Jon talk with Christopher for episode 229 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.
This show is 30 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.
Transcript below.
We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.
Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance here.
Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Cooperatives Cooperating For Better Wisconsin Connectivity
Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative (CVEC) and local communications cooperative Citizens Connected are joining forces to improve Internet access in rural northern Wisconsin.
Collaborating For Connectivity
The two cooperatives recently announced that they will invest in fiber infrastructure to connect residents, businesses, and schools through a new entity called Ntera. Construction will start in Holcombe, population around 300, because it’s one of the communities with the worst Internet access within the CVEC service area. Construction in Holcombe should begin this fall.
Ntera will offer 1 Gigabit per second (1,000 Mbps) connectivity to premises in addition to voice and video. Rates have yet to be determined. CVEC’s service area includes approximately 7,500 premises within five counties. Citizens Connected has already invested in fiber infrastructure passing more than 3,200 premises.
Holcombe is a census-designated place in the town of Lake Holcombe, where the population is a little more than 1,000. Even though they’d like to, Lake Holcombe schoolteachers don’t offer devices to students because so many of them don’t have Internet access at home. Superintendent Jeff Matin says that more than half of the students don’t have Internet access because it isn’t available in their home or just too expensive.
The Lake Holcombe schools will use $80,000 in E-rate funding and state grants to connect to existing fiber in the community that will be incorporated into the larger network. Although the school district is obtaining funding to connect, the cooperatives are funding the network investment themselves. They have not yet released a final estimate for the cost of the project. School officials look forward to the educational opportunities the new fiber will bring:
Mastin is eager to have the improved broadband in the Holcombe area. Right now, there is Internet in the school building only.
“We’ll be able to have our community having easier access to the Internet,” Mastin said. “We could give (students) more devices to allow them to connect to it. It’s definitely needed for education in the 21st century.”
Cooperatives Connect Rural America on ILSR’s Building Local Power Podcast
Electric cooperatives have the potential to build next-generation networks to provide high-speed Internet service, and they are stepping up to the plate. In episode 26 of the Building Local Power podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), Nick Stumo-Langer sits down with Christopher Mitchell and Hannah Trostle to discuss how electric cooperatives are improving Internet access in rural communities.
From Washington to Missouri, many rural folks already have high-speed Internet service through cooperatives. Hannah describes how the cooperatives did that, and then Christopher dives into some of the barriers to local investment. Check out a summary of their research on the resource page Cooperatives Build Community Networks -updated monthly.
This conversation also builds on Building Local Power podcast episode 12 with Karlee Wienmann. Hannah and Karlee discuss how cooperatives work on both Internet access and renewable energy. That episode is available at ILSR.org along with all the other Building Local Power podcast episodes.
Listen to Nick, Hannah, and Christopher in episode 26, Connecting Rural America: Internet Access for All.
Anza Electric Cooperative: High-Speed Internet Service in Southern California
Just south of Mount San Jacinto in southern California, several small communities hope for better Internet access. The local cooperative has submitted a plan to build a next generation network fiber network further into Riverside County.
Anza Electric Cooperative wants to expand its Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network through another 200 square miles of its service territory. This $3.7 million project should connect another 1,200 residents to the growing network.
New Project Proposed by Anza Electric
Currently, Anza Electric is drumming up funding for the proposed project. The co-op already has about $1.5 million to put toward the venture and is now requesting a $2.2 million grant from the state.
This network, called Connect Anza, will bring high-speed Internet service to several small, rural communities in Riverside County: Pinyon Pines, Garner Valley, and Mountain Center. High-speed Internet service of 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) will be $49 per month; service is symmetrical so upload and download speeds are the same. Residents will also be able to get phone service from the co-op for another $20 per month. Local fire stations and the Ronald McDonald camp for children with cancer will receive free Internet access through this project.
Anza Electric Built a Network
The deployment continues Anza Electric’s previous project to connect more than 3,000 underserved households around Anza, California. The previous project was pushed forward by the overwhelming support of the electric cooperative’s member-owners, residents who receive electric service from the co-op.
Co-ops And Counties Improving Indiana Connectivity
Like other states with significant rural populations, local communities in Indiana have been working to come up with ways to improve connectivity for residents and businesses. Two more areas in Indiana can expect better connectivity as county government invests for economic development and a rural electric co-op decides its time to offer Internet access to members.
Jackson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation
In the south central section of the state, Jackson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation (REMC) serves members in ten counties. Their members don’t live in areas in and around the larger towns in the region because most of those premises already had electric service when REMC obtained a federal loan to electrify the area in 1937. Their service area covers about 1,400 square miles and they serve 24,200 members.
In June, the cooperative announced that it had approved a five-year plan to provide Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connectivity to every member in its service area. In their press release, REMC compared the project to rural electrification, which launched the cooperative, and wrote:
Several factors were taken into consideration: enhancing the quality of life for members, agricultural and agribusiness needs, providing an enhanced path for education and healthcare opportunities, keeping our communities economically viable, and developing a plan where no REMC member is eft out. All of these facts fall under Cooperative Principle #7: Concern for Community.
A Big Project
REMC will invest approximately $5.43 million for the project’s first phase; the entire project will cost $20 million in Jackson County alone. The investment for REMC’s entire service area will be $60 million. Co-op officials estimate the project will be cash positive in three years and will be completely paid for in 16 years.
In June, Jackson County Council unanimously approved a tax abatement for the cost of phase 1, which establishes the backbone for the system and snakes through most of the counties in REMC’s service area. Phase 1 will also include an opportunity to test the network by connecting approximately 990 members in order to work out problems before offering services to members across the entire network.
Cooperatives Build Community Networks
Cooperatives around the country have built on their long legacy of delivering essential infrastructure by starting to deliver next-generation Internet services. Here, we cover the basics of cooperatives in rural areas and then discuss the details of electric and telephone cooperatives that have already branched out into Internet service. Finally, we highlight the first fiber optic cooperative provider, and discuss how other communities have better Internet service through building their own networks.
Read the full policy brief Cooperatives Fiberize Rural America: A Trusted Model for the Internet Era on ILSR.org. View the archive for previous editions of the report.
View a larger version of the cooperative fiber map above, updated May 2020.
Quick Links:
Why Rural Cooperatives?
Cooperatives are part of the fabric of rural America. The member owners control the cooperative: each person receiving service is a member of the cooperative and can directly vote in elections for the Board of Directors or even become a member of the Board.
Starting in the 1930s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture supported communities as they created more than 900 electric cooperatives across the country. In the 1950s, the federal government again supported communities building telephone networks, crisscrossing the country with telephone cooperatives to connect rural communities.
Each technology brought new markets, revitalized economies, and revolutionized industries. Cooperatives have a long history of building and maintaining essential infrastructure and providing excellent service in rural communities. Now they have the chance to do that again by building next-generation networks for Internet service.
Rural Public Policies
Rural areas face a number of challenges that urban and suburban communities do not. Low population density coupled with rough terrain can make building infrastructure challenging. Added to these factors, rural communities may not have access to the same financial resources as larger towns and cities do.
Cooperatives, however, have made infrastructure projects work in rural communities for nearly a century. They have access to funding from their membership base, local banks, and often the federal government. Some state governments have expanded their broadband grant and loan programs to include electric cooperatives. Other states have clarified laws and policies to recognize that electric cooperatives can build fiber networks for Internet service using their current infrastructure. A few states have even removed legislative hurdles that stymied investments by electric cooperatives. Technically, the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 253, prohibits states from stopping any co-op from offering Internet service, but co-ops in many states are loathe to challenge state law in court.
North Carolina
In 2019, the state removed restrictions that prevented electric cooperatives from using USDA funding for non-electrical purposes, such as broadband networks. Our 2016 report, North Carolina Connectivity: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, highlighted how this roadblock kept the state’s electric co-ops from providing service to many rural communities.
Tennessee
During the 2017 legislative session, this state has clarified the language in its laws to allow electric cooperatives to build networks for Internet service.
Indiana
Cooperatives already have access to utility poles, easements, and Rights-of-Way in the communities that they serve. Indiana, however, needed to clarify that electric co-ops can use this access to provide Internet service, so it passed the FIBRE Act. Other states, including Georgia, Maryland, and Texas, have since followed suit.
Minnesota & Colorado
Minnesota and Colorado have made funding easier to access for cooperatives interested in providing Internet service. Both states have designed grant programs that promote local solutions to connectivity problems. In Minnesota, cooperatives provide most of the Fiber-to-the-Home Internet service thanks in no small part to that grant program.
Overbuild Or Underbuild?
In Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episode 91, Christopher Mitchell and Lisa Gonzalez discusses strategies for building Internet infrastructure in rural are. What do communities need to thrive?
Electric Cooperatives
More than 900 rural electric cooperatives provide electricity to about 12 percent of the U.S. population. Their service area, however, covers more than half of the total land, nearly 2 million square miles. About 90 rural electric co-ops have embarked on fiber optic projects to increase Internet access for their members.
Several of these electric cooperatives started by building fiber optic lines to substations and large demand centers to increase the reliability of the electric system through better monitoring. This could then form the backbone of a network for Internet service to businesses and residents.
Articles and Interviews
We have written many articles and collected several reports detailing how electric cooperatives have tried to increase Internet access in their communities. These stories show the many different ways electric cooperatives have structured partnerships and programs for their members.
Several electric cooperatives provide Internet service themselves. Some started pilot projects, while others built out to their entire service area. The Fiber-to-the-Home project by Valley Electric Association boosted the local economy in Pahrump, Nevada. The co-op has already added 31 new jobs because of the fiber service.
Others partner with an existing telephone cooperative or telephone company. Ouachita Electric in Arkansas is one of the many cooperatives to have done this. By combining their resources and expertise, this partnership is able to extend electric and Internet service throughout much of southern Arkansas.
Many electric cooperatives work together, such as Sho-Me Power in Missouri and LS Networks in Oregon. These cooperatives have provided connectivity for local ISPs and businesses, and now are looking to connect residents.
In episode 229 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast, Jon Chambers, the former head of the FCC Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis, describes how electric cooperatives have the potential to bring Internet access to unserved rural America.
Mel Coleman, president of NRECA and CEO of North Arkansas Electric Cooperative, joined the podcast in episode 243 to discuss how the electric co-op had improved Internet access for its members and what other cooperatives are doing.
List of Fiber Projects
This is a list of the rural electric cooperatives that have programs and projects to increase connectivity in their service areas. They do not all provide Fiber-to-the-Home. Some only offer fiber connections to businesses or provide wireless last mile connections while others focus on dark fiber and fiber transport services for other Internet Service Providers. (Total: 109) (Last updated: 12/2019)
Electric Cooperative | State | Project |
---|---|---|
Central Alabama Electric Cooperative | Alabama | FTTH (announced) |
Joe Wheeler Electric Membership Corporation | Alabama | FTTH (announced) |
North Alabama Electric Cooperative | Alabama | FTTH |
Tombigbee Electric Cooperative (freedom FIBER) | Alabama | FTTH |
Wiregrass Electric Cooperative | Alabama | Fiber backbone (under construction) — collaboration with cable company to connect members |
Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (WAVE Rural Connect) | Arkansas | FTTH |
Craighead Electric Cooperative Corporation (Empower) | Arkansas | FTTH |
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NEXT) | Arkansas | FTTH |
Ouachita Electric Cooperative (ARIS) | Arkansas | FTTH — collaboration with telephone company |
Ozarks Electric Cooperative (OzarksGo) | Arkansas | FTTH |
South Central Arkansas Electric Cooperative (South Central Connect) | Arkansas | FTTH |
Anza Electric Cooperative (ConnectAnza) | California | FTTH |
Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications) | California | FTTH & wireless with fiber backbone |
San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative (Ciello) | Colorado | FTTH |
Delta-Montrose Electric Association (Elevate Fiber) | Colorado | FTTH |
Southeast Colorado Power Association (SECOM) | Colorado | FTTH |
Yampa Valley Electric Association (Luminate Broadband) | Colorado | FTTH |
Blue Ridge Mountain EMC | Georgia & North Carolina | FTTH |
Habersham Electric Membership Corporation (Trailwave; North Georgia Network Cooperative) | Georgia | FTTH; FTTB and Schools |
Jefferson Energy Cooperative | Georgia | FTTB — collaboration with Pineland Telephone Cooperative |
Illinois Electric Cooperative | Illinois | FTTH |
Jo-Carrol Energy (Sand Prairie) | Illinois | FTTH & wireless with fiber backbone |
Jackson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation (Jackson Connect) | Indiana | FTTH |
Johnson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation | Indiana | FTTH — collaboration with NineStar Connect |
NineStar Connect (merger between Central Indiana Power and Hancock Telecom) | Indiana | FTTH |
Orange County Rural Electric Membership Corporation | Indiana | FTTH |
South Central Indiana Rural Electric Membership Corporation | Indiana | FTTH |
Tipmont Rural Electric Membership Corporation (Wintek) | Indiana | FTTH |
Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative (AC Skyways) | Iowa | Wireless with fiber backbone |
Maquoketa Valley Rural Electric Cooperative (MVLink) | Iowa | FTTH |
Bulter Electric Cooperative (Velocity) | Kansas | FTTH |
Warren Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation | Kentucky | FTTH pilot projects (announced) — collaborations with North Central Telephone Company and Franklin Electric Power Board |
Great Lakes Energy (Truestream) | Michigan | FTTH |
Midwest Energy Cooperative (Midwest Energy and Communications) | Michigan | FTTH |
Tri-County Electric Cooperative (HomeWorks Connect) | Michigan | FTTH |
Arrowhead Electric Cooperative (True North Broadband) | Minnesota | FTTH |
Meeker Cooperative Light and Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) | Minnesota | Wireless with fiber backbone — collaboration with Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company and Spring Grove Communications |
MiEnergy Electric Cooperative | Minnesota | FTTH & wireless with fiber backbone |
Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative (XStream Internet) | Minnesota | FTTH — collaboration with telephone cooperative CTC |
Roseau Electric Cooperative | Minnesota | FTTH (announced) — collaboration with local telephone company |
Alcorn County Electric Power Association (ACE Fiber) | Mississippi | FTTH (announced) |
Coast Electric Power Association (CoastConnect) | Mississippi | FTTH (announced) |
Delta Electric Power Association | Mississippi | FTTH |
Monroe County Electric Power Association (M-Pulse Fiber) | Mississippi | FTTH (announced) |
Natchez Trace Electric Power Association (NT Spark) | Mississippi | FTTH |
Northcentral Mississippi Electric Power Association (Northcentral Connect) | Mississippi | FTTH |
Northeast Mississippi Electric Power Association (North East Fiber, LLC/NE SPARC) | Mississippi | FTTH |
Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association (PearlComm Fiber) | Mississippi | FTTH (Announced) |
Prentiss County Electric Power Association | Mississippi | FTTH (announced) |
Singing River Electric Power Association (Singing River Connect) | Mississippi | FTTH (pilot) |
Southern Pine Electric Power Association | Mississippi | FTTH |
Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVI-Fiber) | Mississippi | FTTH (announced) |
Tippah Electric Power Association | Mississippi | FTTH (announced) |
Tishomingo County Electric Power Association | Mississippi | FTTH |
Tombigbee Electric Power Association | Mississippi | FTTH (announced) |
Barry Electric Cooperative (goBEC) | Missouri | FTTH |
Callaway Electric (Callabyte Technology) | Missouri | FTTH — collaboration with Kingdom Telephone Cooperative |
Co-Mo Electric Cooperative (Co-Mo Connect) | Missouri | FTTH |
Grundy Electric Cooperative (Mid-States Services) | Missouri | FTTH |
Pemiscot Dunklin Electric Cooperative (Pemiscot Dunklin Fiber) | Missouri | FTTH |
Ralls County Electric Cooperative (Ralls Technologies) | Missouri | FTTH |
SEMO Electric Cooperative (GoSEMO Fiber) | Missouri | FTTH |
United Electric Cooperative (United Fiber) | Missouri | FTTH |
Crawford Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
Gascoasage Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
Laclede Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
Se-Ma-No Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
Southwest Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
Webster Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
White River Valley Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | FTTB & Transport Services |
Valley Electric Association (Valley Communications Association) | Nevada | FTTH |
Continental Divide Electric Cooperative (Red Bolt Broadband) | New Mexico | FTTH |
Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (Kit Carson Internet) | New Mexico | FTTH |
Delaware County Electric Cooperative | New York | FTTH — collaboration with local telephone companies |
Otsego Electric Cooperative (OEConnect) | New York | FTTH |
French Broad Electric Membership Corporation | North Carolina | FTTH |
Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation (Bluewave Communications NC) | North Carolina | FTTH — collaboration with Horry Telephone Cooperative |
Roanoke Electric Cooperative (Roanoke Connect) | North Carolina | FTTH |
Consolidated Electric Cooperative | Ohio | FTTH |
East Central Oklahoma Cooperative (ecoLINK) | Oklahoma | FTTH (under construction) |
Lake Region Electric Cooperative (Lake Region Technology & Communications) | Oklahoma | FTTH |
Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (Bolt Fiber Optic Services) | Oklahoma | FTTH |
Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC Fiber) | Oklahoma | FTTH |
Consumers Power (Peak Internet) | Oregon | FTTP (open access network) — collaboration with Pioneer Consolidated and Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company |
Central Electric Cooperative (LS Networks) | Oregon | FTTB, Schools, & Transport Services |
Douglas Electric Cooperative (Douglas Fast Net; LS Networks) | Oregon | FTTH; FTTB, Schools, & Transport Services |
Hood River Electric Cooperative (CACHE Communications; LS Networks) | Oregon | FTTH; FTTB, Schools, & Transport Services |
Umatilla Electric Cooperative (LS Networks) | Oregon | FTTB, Schools, & Transport Services |
West Oregon Electric Cooperative (LS Networks) | Oregon | FTTB, Schools, & Transport Services |
Sullivan County Rural Electric Cooperative | Pennsylvania | FTTH (announced) |
Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative | Pennsylvania | FTTH (announced) |
Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative (Carolina Connect) | South Carolina | FTTH |
Newberry Electric Cooperative (Carolina Connect) | South Carolina | FTTH — collaboration with Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative |
Appalachian Electric Cooperative | Tennessee | FTTH |
Cumberland Electric Membership Cooperative (Cumberland Connect) | Tennessee | FTTH (announced) |
Forked Deer Electric Cooperative (Forked Deer Connect) | Tennessee | FTTH |
Gibson Electric Membership Corporation (Gibson Connect) | Tennessee | FTTH |
Holston Electric Cooperative (Holston Connect) | Tennessee | FTTH |
Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative (MLConnect) | Tennessee | FTTH |
Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEConnect) | Tennessee | FTTH |
Tri-County Electric Cooperative | Tennessee | FTTH |
Volunteer Electric Cooperative (Twin Lakes, powered by VEC) | Tennessee | FTTH — collaboratin with Twin Lakes Telephone Cooperative |
Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC Fiber) | Texas | FTTH |
Grayson Collin Electric Cooperative (Grayson Collin Communications) | Texas | FTTH |
Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative | Texas | FTTH |
Jackson Electric Cooperative (MyJEC.net) | Texas | FTTH & wireless with fiber backbone |
Taylor Electric Cooperative (Access Fiber) | Texas | FTTH |
Victoria Electric Cooperative (Infinium) | Texas | FTTH & wireless with fiber backbone |
BARC Electric Cooperative (BARC Connects) | Virginia | FTTH |
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (Firefly Broadband) | Virginia | FTTH |
Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative | Virginia | FTTH (announced) |
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative (EMPOWER Broadband) | Virginia | FTTH |
Prince George Electric Cooperative (Ruralband) | Virginia | FTTH |
Columbia Rural Electric Association (Columbia iConnect) | Washington | FTTH Pilot Project |
Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (Rock Island Communications) | Washington | FTTH |
Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative (Ntera) | Wisconsin | FTTH — collaboration with telephone cooperative Citizens Connected |
Telephone Cooperatives
There are about 260 telephone cooperatives in the United States. Many provide Internet service as a natural extension of their existing infrastructure. Many started out by providing dial-up and DSL services, but only recently have begun to transition to Fiber-to-the-Home. Some have already transitioned to an all-fiber network, having upgraded everyone in their territory to fiber.
The Rural Broadband Association (NTCA) has a gigabit certification program in order to draw attention to how many small telephone companies cooperatives have built these next-generation networks.
Articles & Interviews
We have featured a number of these cooperatives on our website. Some cooperatives choose to work with local governments or electric cooperatives while others focus on providing service alone. Below is just a small selection of the many cooperatives that have built Fiber-to-the-Home networks.
In Michigan, a rural telephone cooperative got its start in the early 2000s. The community went from sparse telephone service to state-of-the-art Internet service. Read more about Allband Communications Cooperatives unique story here.
Paul Bunyan Communications Cooperative in Minnesota has expanded their GigaZone throughout the northern half of the state, including Red Lake Nation.
In Missouri, Callaway Electric Cooperative and Kingdom Telephone Company (the local telephone co-op) teamed up to form a new company together called Callabyte Technology to deliver Fiber-to-the-Home service.
Episode 188 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast features Eric Cramer, the President and CEO of Wilkes Communications/RiverStreet Networks. He explained how the telephone cooperative has built a Fiber-to-the-Home network throughout several counties in northern North Carolina.
The First Internet Cooperative
Cooperatives are not just telephone and electric. There is now a workable model for Internet cooperatives created from scratch. RS Fiber in Minnesota is the first cooperative formed for the express purpose of providing reliable, high-speed Internet service.
We have extensive coverage of how RS Fiber started and the rural communities they have connected. Read more in our report RS Fiber Fertile Fields: New Rural Internet Cooperative.
More Resources
List of Gigabit Cooperatives
These cooperatives offer gigabit speeds to residents and/or businesses within their service areas. (Total: 210) (Last updated: 12/2019)
Gigabit Cooperative | State | Type |
---|---|---|
3 Rivers Communications | Montana | Telephone |
Ace Telephone Association (Ace Communications or AcenTek) | Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa | Telephone |
Adams Telephone Cooperative | Illinois | Telephone |
Albany Mutual Telephone Association | Minnesota | Telephone |
Appalachian Electric Cooperative | Tennessee | Electric |
Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative (WAVE Rural Connect) | Arkansas | Electric |
Arthur Mutual Telephone Company | Ohio | Telephone |
Atlantic Telephone Membership Corporation | North Carolina | Telephone |
Ballard Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation (Bringing Technology Closer) | Kentucky | Telephone |
Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC Fiber) | Texas | Electric |
BARC Electric Cooperative (BARC Connects) | Virginia | Electric |
Barry Electric Cooperative (goBEC) | Missouri | Electric |
Bascom Communications | Ohio | Telephone |
BEK Communications Cooperative (BEK Lightband) | North Dakota | Telephone |
Ben Lomand Rural Telephone Cooperative (Ben Lomand Connect) | Tennesseee | Telephone |
Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative | Tennesseee | Telephone |
Blue Valley Telecommunications | Kansas | Telephone |
Bulloch Telephone Cooperative | Georgia | Telephone |
Callaway Electric Cooperative (Callabyte Technology) — collaboration with Kingdom Telephone Cooperative | Missouri | Electric and telephone |
Canby Telephone Association (DirectLink) | Oregon | Telephone |
Central Electric Cooperative (LS Networks) | Oregon | Electric |
Central Texas Telephone Cooperative | Texas | Telephone |
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (Firefly Broadband) | Virginia | Electric |
Chariton Valley Telephone Corporation | Missouri | Telephone |
Chequamegon Communications Cooperative (Norvado) | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Chibardun Telephone Cooperative (Mosaic Telecom) | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative (Ntera) — collaboration with telephone cooperative Citizens Connected | Wisconsin | Electric and Telephone |
Citizens Connected | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Citizens Mutual Telephone Cooperative | Iowa | Telephone |
Citizens Telephone Cooperative | Virginia | Telephone |
Citizens Telephone Cooperative | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Clay County Rural Telephone Cooperative (Endeavor Communications) | Indiana | Telephone |
Co-Mo Electric Cooperative (Co-Mo Connect) | Missouri | Electric |
Cochrane Cooperative Telephone Company | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Columbia Rural Electric Association (Columbia iConnect) | Washington | Electric |
Columbus Telephone (Optic Communications) | Kansas | Telephone |
Consolidated Electric Cooperative | Ohio | Electric |
Consolidated Telcom | North Dakota | Telephone |
Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) | Minnesota | Telephone |
Cooperative Telephone Exchange | Iowa | Telephone |
Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative (Copper Valley Telecom) | Alaska | Telephone |
Craighead Electric Cooperative Corporation (Empower) | Arkansas | Electric |
Craw Kan Telephone Cooperative | Kansas | Telephone |
Crawford Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
Custer Telephone Cooperative, Inc. | Idaho | Telephone |
Dakota Central Telecommunications | North Dakota | Telephone |
Danville Mutual Telephone Company (i-connect you) | Iowa | Telephone |
Daviess-Martin Rural Telephone Corporation (RTC Communications) | Indiana | Telephone |
DeKalb Telephone Cooperative, Inc | Tennessee | Telephone |
Delaware County Electric Cooperative | New York | Electric |
Delta-Montrose Electric Association (Elevate Fiber) | Colorado | Electric |
Dickey Rural Telephone Cooperative | North Dakota | Telephone |
Douglas Electric Cooperative (Douglas Fast Net; LS Networks) | Oregon | Electric |
Eastern New Mexico Rural Telephone Cooperative (Plateau Telecommunications) | New Mexico | Telephone |
Eastern Oregon Telecom | Oregon | Telephone |
Ellsworth Cooperative Telephone Association | Iowa | Telephone |
Emery Telcom | Utah | Telephone |
Emily Cooperative Telephone Company | Minnesota | Telephone |
Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company | Iowa | Telephone |
Farmers Mutual Telephone Company | Iowa | Telephone |
Farmers Mutual Telephone Company (Acira — partnership with Federated Telephone Cooperative) | Minnesota | Telephone |
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative | Alabama | Telephone |
Farmers Telephone Cooperative | South Carolina | Telephone |
Federated Telephone Cooperative (Acira — partnership with Farmers Mutual Telephone Company) | Minnesota | Telephone |
Foothills Telephone Cooperative (Foothills Communications) | Kentucky | Telephone |
Forked Deer Electric Cooperative (Forked Deer Connect) | Tennessee | Electric |
French Broad Electric Membership Corporation | North Carolina | Electric |
Garden Valley Telephone Company (Garden Valley Technologies) | Minnesota | Telephone |
Gascoasage Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
Gervais Telephone Company (DataVision Cooperative) | Oregon | Telephone |
Gibson Electric Membership Corporation (Gibson Connect) | Tennessee | Electric |
Golden Belt Telephone Association | Kansas | Telephone |
Grand River Mutual Telephone Corporation (GRM Networks) | Missouri | Telephone |
Grayson Collin Electric Cooperative (Grayson Collin Communications) | Texas | Electric |
Great Lakes Energy (Truestream) | Mississippi | Electric |
Griswold Cooperative Telephone Company (Griswold Communications) | Iowa | Telephone |
Grundy Electric Cooperative (Mid-States Services) | Missouri | Electric |
Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative | Texas | Electric |
Guadalupe Valley Telephone Cooperative | Texas | Telephone |
Habersham Electric Membership Corporation (Trailwave; North Georgia Network Cooperative) | Georgia | Electric |
Halstad Telephone Company | Minnesota | Telephone |
Highland Telephone Cooperative | Tennessee | Telephone |
Hill Country Telephone Cooperative | Texas | Telephone |
Holston Electric Cooperative (Holston Connect) | Tennessee | Electric |
Hood River Electric Cooperative (CACHE Communications; LS Networks) | Oregon | Electric |
Horry Telephone Cooperative | South Carolina | Telephone |
Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
Huxley Communications Cooperative | Iowa | Telephone |
Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
Jackson County Rural Elctric Membership Corporation (Jackson Connect) | Indiana | Electric |
Jefferson Energy Cooperative — collaboration with Pineland Telephone Cooperative | Georgia | Electric and Telephone |
Jo-Carrol Energy (Sand Prairie) | Illinois | Electric |
Johnson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation — collaboration with NineStar Connect | Indiana | Electric and telephone |
Kalona Cooperative Technology Company | Iowa | Telephone |
Kingdom Telephone Company | Missouri | Telephone |
Laclede Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
Lake Region Electric Cooperative (Lake Region Technology & Communications) | Oklahoma | Electric |
LaValle Telephone Cooperative | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Leaco Rural Telephone Cooperative | New Mexico | Telephone |
Lehigh Valley Cooperative Telephone Association | Iowa | Telephone |
Logan Telephone Cooperative | Kentucky | Telephone |
Maquoketa Valley Rural Electric Cooperative (MVLink) | Iowa | Electric |
Marquette-Adams Telephone Cooperative | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Matanuska Telephone Association | Alaska | Telephone |
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative (EMPOWER Broadband) | Virginia | Electric |
Meriweather Lewis Electric Cooperative (MLConnect) | Tennessee | Electric |
Mid Century Telephone Cooperative (Mid Century Communications) | Illinois | Telephone |
Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative (Carolina Connect) | South Carolina | Electric |
Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative (Mid-Rivers Communications) | Montana | Telephone |
Midstate Communications | South Dakota | Telephone |
Midwest Energy Cooperative (Midwest Energy and Communications) | Michigan | Electric |
Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative (XStream Internet) — collaboration with CTC | Minnesota | Electric and telephone |
Molalla Telephone Company (Molalla Communications) | Oregon | Telephone |
Mountain Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation | Kentucky | Telephone |
Nelson Communications Cooperative (Ntec) | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Nemont Telephone Cooperative | Montana | Telephone |
New Hope Telephone Cooperative | Alabama | Telephone |
New Lisbon Telephone Company | Indiana | Telephone |
Newberry Electric Cooperative (Carolina Connect) | South Carolina | Electric |
NineStar Connect (merger between Central Indiana Power and Hancock Telecom) | Indiana | Electric and telephone |
North Alabama Electric Cooperative | Alabama | Electric |
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NEXT) | Arkansas | Electric |
North Central Telephone Cooperative | Tennessee and Kentucky | Telephone |
North Dakota Telephone Company | North Dakota | Telephone |
Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company | Nebraska | Telephone |
Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (Bolt Fiber Optic Services) | Oklahoma | Electric |
Northwest Communications Cooperative | North Dakota | Telephone |
Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC Fiber) | Oklahoma | Electric |
Orange County Rural Electric Membership Corporation | Indiana | Electric |
Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (Rock Island Communications) | Washington | Electric |
Otsego Electric Cooperative (OEConnect) | New York | Electric |
Ouachita Electric Cooperative (ARIS) | Arkansas | Electric |
Ozarks Electric Cooperative (OzarksGo) | Arkansas | Electric |
Palmetto Rural Telephone Company | South Carolina | Telephone |
Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc. | Oklahoma | Telephone |
Panora Communications Cooperative | Iowa | Telephone |
Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative | Minnesota | Telephone |
Peak Internet (partnership between Pioneer Consolidated, Consumers Power, and Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company) | Oregon | Electric and telephone |
Pemiscot Dunklin Electric Cooperative | Missouri | Electric |
Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative | Kentucky | Telephone |
Peoples Telecommunications | Kansas | Telephone |
Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative (Perry-Spencer Communications) | Indiana | Telephone |
Phillips County Telephone Company (PC Telcom) | Colorado | Telephone |
Pineland Telephone Cooperative | Georgia | Telephone |
Pioneer Telephone Cooperative | Oklahoma | Telephone |
Plains Cooperative Telephone Association | Colorado | Telephone |
Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications) | California | Electric |
Polar Communications Mutual Aid Corporation | North Dakota | Telephone |
Prince George Electric Cooperative (Ruralband) | Virginia | Electric |
Rainbow Telecommunications Association (Rainbow Communications) | Kansas | Telephone |
Ralls County Electric Cooperative (Ralls Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
Randolph Telephone Membership Corporation (Randoph Communications) | North Carolina | Telephone |
Range Telephone Cooperative (RT Communications) | Montana, Wyoming | Telephone |
Red River Rural Telephone Association | North Dakota | Telephone |
Reservation Telephone Cooperative | North Dakota | Telephone |
Richland-Grant Telephone Cooperative | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Runestone Telecom Association | Minnesota | Telephone |
Rural Telephone Service Cooperative (Nex-Tech) | Kansas | Telephone |
San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative (Ciello) | Colorado | Electric |
Scio Mutual Telephone Association | Oregon | Telephone |
Se-Ma-No Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
SEMO Electric Cooperative (GoSEMO Fiber) | Missouri | Electric |
Sequatchee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEConnect) | Tennessee | Electric |
Sherwood Mutual Telephone Association | Ohio | Telephone |
Skyline Telephone Membership Corporation (SkyBest Communications) | North Carolina | Telephone |
South Central Arkansas Electric Cooperative (South Central Connect) | Arkansas | Electric |
South Central Indiana Rural Electric Membership Corporation | Indiana | Electric |
South Central Rural Telephone Cooperative | Kentucky | Telephone |
South Central Utah Telephone Association (South Central Communications) | Utah | Telephone |
South Slope Cooperative Communications | Iowa | Telephone |
Southeast Colorado Power Association (SECOM) | Colorado | Electric |
Southwest Arkansas Telephone Cooperative | Arkansas | Telephone |
Southwest Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
SRT Communications | North Dakota | Telephone |
Star Telephone Membership Corporation (Star Communications) | North Carolina | Telephone |
Surry Communications Membership Cooperation | North Carolina | Telephone |
Taylor Electric Cooperative (Access Fiber) | Texas | Electric |
The Ottoville Mutual Telephone Company | Ohio | Telephone |
Tipmont Rural Electric Membership Corporation (Wintek) | Indiana | Electric |
Tombigbee Electric Cooperative (freedom FIBER) | Alabama | Electric |
Tri-County Communications Cooperative | Wisconsin | Electric |
Tri-County Electric Cooperative | Tennessee | Electric |
Tri-County Electric Cooperative (HomeWorks Connect) | Michigan | Electric |
Tri-County Telephone Association | Kansas | Electric |
Tri-County Telephone Membership Corporation (RiverStreet Networks) | North Carolina | Telephone |
Twin Lakes Telephone Cooperative Corporation | Tennessee | Telephone |
UBTA-UBET Communications, also known as Strata Networks | Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming | Telephone |
Umatilla Electric Cooperative (LS Networks) | Oregon | Electric |
United Electric Cooperative (United Fiber) | Missouri | Electric |
United Telephone Mutual Aid Corporation (Turtle Mountain Communications) | North Dakota | Telephone |
Valley Electric Association (Valley Communications Association) | Nevada | Electric |
Valley Telecommunications | South Dakota | Telephone |
Venture Communications Cooperative | South Dakota | Telephone |
Vernon Communications Cooperative | Wisconsin | Telephone |
Victoria Electric Cooperative (Infinium) | Texas | Electric |
Volunteer Electric Cooperative (Twin Lakes, powered by VEC) | Tennessee | Electric and telephone |
Wabash Communications Cooperative | Illinois | Telephone |
Wabash Mutual Telephone Company | Ohio | Telephone |
Washington County Rural Telephone Cooperative (Tele-media Solutions) | Indiana | Telephone |
Webster Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association | Iowa | Telephone |
West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative (West Carolina Tel) | South Carolina | Telephone |
West Central Telephone Association | Minnesota | Telephone |
West Kentucky and Tennessee Communications Cooperative | Kentucky, Tennessee | Telephone |
West Oregon Electric Cooperative (LS Networks) | Oregon | Electric |
West River Telecommunications Cooperative | North Dakota and South Dakota | Telephone |
West Wisconsin Telcom Cooperative (24-7 Telcom) | Wisconsin | Telephone |
White River Valley Electric Cooperative / Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (Sho-Me Technologies) | Missouri | Electric |
Wiggins Telephone Association (Blue Lightning) | Colorado | Telephone |
Wilkes Telephone Membership Corporation (RiverStreet Networks) | North Carolina | Telephone |
Yampa Valley Electric Association (Luminate Broadband) | Colorado | Electric |
Yucca Telecommunications Systems | New Mexico | Telephone |
Community Broadband Bits Podcast Episodes
Listen to our collection of Community Broadband Bits Podcasts to learn firsthand about how electric cooperatives have made the decision to provide Internet service.
# | Title | Summary | Guest | Transcript |
---|---|---|---|---|
383 11/19/2019 | Tri-County Rural Electric Delivering Connectivity, Expanding Partnerships, in Appalachians | Co-op finds funding, partners to build broadband network demanded by members | Craig Eccher | Transcript 383 |
369 8/13/2019 | South Dakota Fiber All About the Local | Co-ops, cities, locally-owned companies, and tribal ISPs invest in rural South Dakota | Greg Dean | Transcript 369 |
358 5/28/2019 | Firefly Fiber All the Buzz in Central Virginia | Central Virginia Electric Co-op's new fiber project and how members are embracing better connectivity | Melissa Gay and Gary Wood | Transcript 358 |
344 2/19/2019 | Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative Steps Up, Offers FTTH in Missouri's Bootheel | Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative's FTTH project in rural Missouri and how the environment impacted network design | Jack Davis | Transcript 344 |
342 2/5/2019 | RiverStreet Networks Reaching Across Rural North Carolina | Co-op partners with other co-ops and communities to connect rural N.C. | Greg Coltrain | Transcript 342 |
324 9/25/2018 | Great Lakes Energy's Big Plan for Big Fiber | Largest electric co-op in Michigan is deploying a FTTH network | Shari Culver | Transcript 324 |
321 9/4/2018 | Analyzing the Auction With Jonathan Chambers | Results of the Connect America Fund Phase II auction, including a strong showing by electric co-ops | Jonathan Chambers | Transcript 321 |
314 7/17/2018 | DMEA Co-op Serving Up Broadband and Innovation in Colorado | The Delta Montrose Electric Association fiber deployment in Colorado | John Gavan and Brad Harding | Transcript 314 |
288 1/9/2018 | North Dakota's Exceptional Fiber Networks | North Dakota has low population density, but many fiber cooperatives | Robin Anderson | Transcript 288 |
277 11/1/2017 | Kit Carson Fibers up New Mexico | Electric Cooperative builds fiber network in rural New Mexico | Luis Reyes | Transcript 277 |
276 10/24/2017 | Allband All-in For Rural Michigan Internet Access | Folks build a cooperative from scratch in rural Michigan | Ron Siegel | Transcript 276 |
249 4/19/2017 | Rural Electric Co-ops as Reluctant Warriors for Broadband | The challenges and decisions that rural electric cooperatives face | Alyssa Clemsen-Roberts | Transcript 249 |
243 3/7/2017 | What's NEXT in North Arkansas? | North Arkansas Electric Cooperative's pilot project for high-speed Internet service | Mel Coleman | Transcript 243 |
240 2/14/2017 | United Fiber Tackles Missouri's Most Rural | The demand for better, faster connections and the role of rural electric cooperatives | Darren Farnan | Transcript 240 |
229 11/22/2016 | Rural Electrics Solve Rural Internet Access Problems | Former head of FCC's Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis on politics and rural connectivity | Jon Chambers | Transcript 229 |
225 10/25/2016 | Midwest Energy Cooperative Connects Rural Michigan | A rural electric cooperative provides fiber connectivity | Bob Hance and Dave Allen | Transcript 225 |
224 10/18/2016 | H.R. Trostle on Co-Ops, Munis, Connectivity in North Carolina | ILSR Research Associate discusses North Carolina and Internet access | H.R. Trostle | Transcript 224 |
203 5/25/2016 | Tennessee Potential Partnership Between Morristown Muni and AEC Co-op | Morristown Tennessee, and the local electric co-op are teaming up to deliver needed services | Jody Wigington and Greg Williams | Transcript 203 |
198 4/19/2016 | A New Cooperative Model for Fiber to the Farm | The RS Fiber Cooperative steals the spotlight with its new cooperative model | Mark Erickson and Jake Rieke | Transcript 198 |
188 2/9/2016 | North Carolina Co-op Fibers Up Rural Counties and More | What does it take for a telephone co-op in North Carolina to provide FTTH? President and CEO of Wilkes Communications and RiverStreet Networks explains | Eric Cramer | Transcript 188 |
140 3/3/2015 | Rural Electric Co-Mo Co-op Goes Gig | Discussion on how Co-Mo electric co-op in rural Missouri structured broadband network and its objective to enter the business and results | Randy Klindt | Transcript 140 |
99 5/20/2014 | Catching Up with the RS Fiber Co-op in Minnesota | Update on the RS Fiber Co-op project in Minnesota | Mark Erickson and Cindy Gerholz | Transcript 99 |
92 4/1/2014 | Understanding the Georgia Communications Cooperative | Discussion on how cooperatives work together and expand the regional network in Georgia and challenges to connect rural premises with fiber optics | Mike Foor | Transcript 92 |
46 5/14/2013 | North Georgia Network Brings Gig to Schools, Jobs to Region | The origin of the North Georgia Network and its economic and social impact on the region | Paul Belk | Transcript 46 |
Image Credits:
Rural Barn Flag, woodleywonderworks, Creative Commons license
Minnesota House Chamber, Chris Gaukel, Creative Commons license
Resource Page on Cooperatives and Building Community Networks
Throughout the country, telephone and electric cooperatives have found ways to bring affordable, high-speed Internet service to rural residents. This resource page is a one-stop shop for facts and figures on cooperatives and thier role in offering high-speed Internet service.
From Alabama to Oregon, cooperatives have taken on the challenge of bringing fast, affordable, reliable, connectivity to rural America. This page highlights model projects and discusses what state governments can do to support cooperatives' efforts to connect rural America.
We feature electric cooperative fiber optic projects, cooperatives offering gigabit (1,000 Mbps) service, and the first Internet cooperative - RS Fiber in Minnesota. As of July 2017, almost 90 cooperatives offer gigabit service to their members, and more than 50 electric cooperatives have programs or projects to improve connectivity.
Check out all the information, including several of our podcasts and videos, on our cooperatives resource page.
Suggestions, comments, or questions? Drop H. Trostle an email at htrostle@ilsr.org.
Image of the barn courtesy of backituptech on pixaby.
Freedom FIBER, Tombigbee Electric Cooperative in Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama, already has high-speed Internet service through Google Fiber, but the surrounding rural areas must look to their local cooperative for better connectivity. Tombigbee Electric Cooperative has started an ambitious Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) project to eventually cover its entire service area over four counties in northwestern Alabama.
In a press release, Tombigbee Electric announced that their Freedom FIBER network will start providing Internet service in the towns of Hamilton and Winfield in September 2017. It’ll take about a year to get the new network to everyone in the designated build out area.
Much Needed Connectivity
Hamilton is the seat of Marion county with about 7,000 residents; 20 miles to the south, Winfield has a population of 5,000. As of June 2016, about 75 percent of the population in Marion County does not currently have access to FCC-defined 25 Megabits-per-second (Mbps) download speeds.
With Freedom FIBER, residents will have a choice between two tiers of Internet service: 100 Mbps for $49.95 per month or 1 gigabit (1,000 Mbps) for $79.95 per month. The co-op will also offer phone service for an additional $29.95 each month. The fiber network will be much more reliable than CenturyLink’s DSL network, which is currently the only choice in the towns.
An Incremental Plan
Tri-County Electric in Tennessee To Build High-Speed Network
On the border of Tennessee and Kentucky, an electric cooperative looks to a more connected future. The Tri-County Electric Cooperative that operates across state lines is preparing to build a state-of-the-art network for high-speed Internet service throughout Trousdale County, Tennessee. This will be the first year of construction for the cooperative after several years of planning.
Tri-County Electric plans to soon begin services to Trousdale County, the smallest county in Tennessee. Many of the county's 8,000 residents' choice is limited to Comcast and AT&T, and Tri-County Electric's Vice-President and General Manager Paul Thompson noted that people in the county often only subscribe to about 6 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload. With a steady membership base of 50,000 spread across two states and a close relationship with the county, the electric co-op is in a good position to move forward with the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) project. The cooperative intends to offer an affordable base package that provides faster, more reliable connectivity than what the incumbents are willing to offer the rural communities.
Funding From The Feds
Since 2014, Tri-County Electric Cooperative has actively pursued financing for a FTTH network in the county. The co-op applied for a grant through the Rural Broadband Experiments program managed by the Federal Communications Commission. They did not receive any funding, but the process resulted in a tangible plan.
The process of applying for the grant built up community support for the project and enabled the co-op to identify key assets. As part of the grant application, they noted which census blocks they expected to connect and what community anchor institutions, such as schools, libraries, and government buildings, could be included. The Trousdale County government even passed a resolution giving explicit permission for Tri-County Electric to build and operate a FTTH network.