Outside of the LRTC tech linemen working on fiber optic lines.
Lake Region Electric Cooperative subsidiary Lake Region Technology and Communications (LRTC) strives to provide superior internet service, bringing the newest standards in fiber optic technology. The electric cooperative members came to their local trusted co-op asking for help over 10 years ago. Lake Region listened and constucted a fiber optic network throughout the co-ops electric distribution system.
The word has gotten out that LRTC has the best internet and customer service in several communities. With this comes more off-system customers pleading for service. This is another example of how LRTC is going the extra mile, helping the residents and businesses outside of our electric distribution system gain access to better broadband internet.
LRTC has achieved success with several off-system builds, and Gibson Grove, a new housing development in Wagoner, OK, stands out as a success story. Gibson Grove was stranded in an area with no internet options. Developers built several duplex apartments, and no internet service provider, Windstream, ATT, or Optimum, would build service into these new homes. The developer came to LRTC pleading, and after a few months of construction, Gibson Grove residents and future lots now have access to broadband internet.
“Before Lake Region was available, my only option was a satellite system. We had endless problems with the satellite, streaming was brutal, and we spent most of the time waiting for the internet to load. Eventually, I paid to get out of the contract with the satellite provider! Lake Region is faster and more reliable at home than my work internet, so I often move Zoom meetings, etc., to my house for a better connection. Thank you, Lake Region, for helping us,” said Gibson Grove resident Michelle Suarez.
The approach is still the same now as we continue to build off-network; there are northeast Oklahomans who lack access to adequate internet, and if LRTC can help, we will consider it.
Co-op fiber subsidiaries offer more than internet; they offer peace of mind with advanced parental controls and social media monitoring that aim to keep kids safe while online.
Stillwater-based Centranet, a subsidiary of Central Rural Electric Cooperative and Okmulgee-based ecoLINK, a subsidiary of East Central Electric Cooperative, are two fiber subsidiaries that recently launched Bark.
“As an internet service provider, we feel we have a responsibility to protect our subscribers from online threats,” said Jillianne Tebow, Centranet’s VP of Marketing and Business Development.
“Bark offers peace of mind to parents,” added Billie Been, ecoLINK’s Supervisor of Broadband Marketing and Services. “Monitoring all of your child’s online activity isn’t often possible for today’s busy parents, but Bark does just that and provides alerts to parents.”Bark aims to protect children both online and offline. The comprehensive parental controls and social media monitoring allows parents to monitor a child’s online activity. The tool monitors content like social media posts and messages and looks for issues like of cyberbullying, sexual content, online predators, depression, suicidal ideation, threats of violence and more. Parents can manage screen time, block websites and even track the location of their child’s device through the tool.
Rural consumers in the service areas of five electric cooperatives with fiber subsidiaries will be empowered with reliable, high-speed broadband following a historic announcement from the Oklahoma Broadband Office (OBO).
The Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board authorized 142 broadband infrastructure expansion projects in 57 counties. Project funding is designated from Oklahoma Legislature-approved American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
“Access to reliable and affordable broadband will enable better educational and healthcare services, stimulate economic development, and empower Oklahomans to leverage the online technologies of the future, regardless of zip code,” Mike Sanders, OBO executive director, said.
Approved projects for electric cooperatives will be carried out in 18 counties and total more than $76 million in awarded grants. The boost in funding will enable electric cooperatives with fiber subsidiaries to continue empowerment of the unserved and underserved with high-speed internet.
Selected co-ops to receive grants are: Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative based in Seminole; Central Rural Electric Cooperative’s Centranet, based in Stillwater; East Central Electric Cooperative’s ecoLINK based in Okmulgee; Indian Electric Cooperative and Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative’s Northeast Rural Services, Inc. based in Vinita, Oklahoma.
“The cooperative business model is uniquely suited to provide this essential service,” says Hunter Robinson, chair of the Cooperative Broadband Coalition and CEO of Central Rural Electric Cooperative and its fiber subsidiary, Centranet. “We stand on a legacy of bringing service to those who never had it, much like we did 80 years ago, bringing electricity to rural areas that were in the dark.”
To date, 10 electric cooperatives with fiber subsidiaries have connected more than 113,000 households, empowering 285,000 Oklahomans with reliable broadband. Co-op subsidiaries are bringing reliable, high-speed internet not only to residences across Oklahoma but to county offices, city offices, small businesses, farming operations, health organizations, public schools and educational institutions. “Providing rural broadband is an extension of the cooperatives’ mission to work toward quality-of-life improvements in rural areas of the state,” says Chris Meyers, General Manager of the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives. “Rural communities deserve the same opportunity as their urban neighbors. We thank the Oklahoma Legislature, the Broadband Governing Board and the Oklahoma Broadband Office for the opportunity to continue investing in broadband projects that change lives for the better.”
CO-OP HIGHLIGHTS:
Five rural electric cooperatives in Oklahoma with fiber subsidiaries are among organizations selected to receive broadband expansion grants.
The Oklahoma Broadband Office announced 55,000 Oklahoma homes and businesses will benefit from broadband infrastructure expansion projects in 57 counties, representing 142 approved projects.
Approved projects for cooperative fiber subsidiaries will be implemented in 18 rural counties, totaling more than $76 million in grant funding.
To date, 10 electric cooperatives with fiber subsidiaries have connected more than 113,000 households, empowering 285,000 Oklahomans with reliable broadband.
Speaker Charles McCall of the Oklahoma House of Representatives addresses attendees of Connected Oklahoma – Rural Broadband Summit on Sept. 27 in Edmond.
More than 200 guests from 21 states attended the Cooperative Broadband Coalition’s inaugural Connected Oklahoma – Rural Broadband Summit in Edmond on Sept. 27. The Cooperative Broadband Coalition brought together various stakeholders to discuss opportunities to better serve broadband in rural areas.
“Internet is key to unlocking the economic potential in rural areas,” said Speaker Charles McCall, Oklahoma House of Representatives. “There is a lot of untapped potential outside the metros. Rural broadband is going to let the rural workforce compete with the urban centers.”
McCall said more than $1.4 billion in funding is being pushed out through the Oklahoma Broadband Office, and a focus will be on getting money to the unserved and underserved areas first.
In addition to Speaker McCall, attendees also heard from Mike Sanders, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Broadband Office; Gigi Sohn, Executive Director of the American Association of Public Broadband; Jon Worley, Senior Technology Architect for the American Registry of Internet Numbers; Sarah Bleau, Director of the Middle Mile Program for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; directors of the Arkansas, New Mexico and Indiana broadband offices; and several additional panelists including Oklahoma rural broadband operators. Some topics discussed were the state and federal grants process, supercharging the economy with broadband, and building a coalition-based middle mile network.
The CBC unites 11 electric cooperatives with fiber subsidiaries in the state of Oklahoma. Collectively, these cooperatives have reached the milestone of connecting 100,000-plus households in rural areas, a significant investment in the quality of life for rural Oklahomans and the statewide economy. Visit cooperativebroadband.coop for more information.
In 2018 East Central Electric accepted the mission of providing reliable, affordable internet service to members in our communities by forming ecoLINK fiber services.
The mission was similar to when the co-ops first brought electricity to rural homes and farms. It made such a difference in the lives of those who had been overlooked or refused service. Now, 85 years later, we’ve done it again by building 4,153 miles of fiber to provide internet to over 31,000 broadband service locations.
The cooperative core value of improving quality of life for others inspired us to accept the mission and our approach was with the same attitude and spirit that East Central Electric members know and trust. There was a need in the East Central Electric service area that the Board of Directors recognized just in time.
“We recognized the importance of high-speed internet, but none of us were fully prepared for the extent of the desperate need,” said ecoLINK Director of Broadband Operations Jeremy Hendrickson. “When the pandemic began, the need for high-speed internet was obvious. We received feedback from educators, students, remote workers, and individuals requiring telemedicine services that were desperate to get access. It certainly pushed us into higher gear.”
Initially the mission was a six year, six phase project. Once the project began, two phases were combined which shaved one year off. After that, work accelerated and was completed in an impressive four years and five months.
Hendrickson says, “Although the mission to our members is complete, there are still many who need access to high-speed internet and we’re committed to seeing this through. Now, we will begin filling in the gaps and fulfilling grant obligations in off-system areas.” We’re thankful to the many who have helped with our mission and have chosen to continue with us for the next mission.
We want to see communities, members, schools, and small businesses thrive; and for all who need or want reliable, high-speed internet to have access to it. ecoLINK By the Numbers:
• 4,153 miles of fiber • 14, 363 installations • 50% take-rate • 5 phases • 78 feeders • 22 fiber huts • 90 net promoter score
OEC Fiber received the “Best Internet Service Provider” in Oklahoma award at a ceremony on June 22 at OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theatre in Oklahoma City. This is the second year in a row that The Journal Record has awarded OEC Fiber this honor as voted by their readers.
“Having our subscribers vote for us to receive this award two years in a row speaks volumes for the work our team does to ensure that our subscribers receive the best value, service and support to stay connected,” said OEC Fiber president, David Goodspeed. “Each team member at OEC Fiber is dedicated to providing the best service possible to our subscribers, and it shows.”
OEC Fiber is a subsidiary of Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC), governed by the OEC board of trustees and the OEC Fiber board of directors. OEC Fiber is managed and operated by employees who embody the same attitude and spirit of the OEC you know and trust. Learn more at www.oecfiber.com.
Centranet recently won top honors in the Stillwater News Press “Best of Stillwater” contest. Every year, readers of the Stillwater News Press and followers of the newspaper’s social media profiles, websites and e-mail blasts celebrate the best businesses, organizations and people in a two-step process.
In June, they cast their nominations in the contest, revealing the top five nominees in each category. In July, voters select their top pick from each category, hoping their favorite will rise to the top. On July 29, the newspaper announced Centranet as the first place winner in the internet service provider category.
“We are excited that Centranet was chosen for this award,” said Mark Prather, President of Fiber and Technology of Central Rural Electric Cooperative and its fiber subsidiary, Centranet. “From the beginning, we’ve made subscriber satisfaction a pillar of all we do. We’re delighted the community recognizes this and chose Centranet as their provider of choice.”
Located in Stillwater, Okla., Centranet is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Rural Electric Cooperative that aims to bring members the fastest, most reliable internet through its fully fiber network.
Co-op leaders are pictured with Governor Kevin Stitt
Today, cooperative leaders participated in the ceremonial bill signing of HB-1965 along with Governor Kevin Stitt, Representative Carl Newton State Representative and Kirk Martin, Deputy Director of the Oklahoma Broadband Office. The bill encourages the development of broadband services in unserved and underserved areas, ultimately helping Oklahoma bridge the digital divide. Ten distribution electric cooperatives have fiber subsidiaries and are bringing critical access to reliable broadband to unserved and underserved areas in rural Oklahoma.
Infinera (NASDAQ: INFN) announced today that KAMO Electric Cooperative, Inc. (KAMO Power) is deploying Infinera’s XTM Series on its 2,700-route-mile rural network to serve its 17 member cooperatives across northeast Oklahoma and southwest Missouri. The deployment upgrades KAMO Power’s network, providing the cooperative with an open optical network that delivers high-capacity, reliable, and secure transport services.
KAMO Power is a Generation and Transmission (G&T) cooperative and one of the largest of its kind, providing its members safe, cost-effective, and reliable power through its high-voltage transmission network and communications system. In addition to serving the region as the largest power source, KAMO Power’s cooperative members rely on its robust open optical network to meet the needs of utilities, local government agencies, internet service providers, and local telecom companies.
With Infinera’s XTM Series, KAMO Power can offer its members cost-effective, scalable 100G transport services to meet their bandwidth needs today and into the future. The KAMO Power XTM Series deployment flexibly supports both legacy services and modern Ethernet-based services over a 100G-enabled flexible-grid ROADM-based network. Leveraging an open optical architecture, KAMO Power can seamlessly scale its network to support 400G transmission speeds and beyond to meet future capacity needs while also supporting third-party wavelengths if required. The deployment also utilizes the disaggregated architecture of the XTM Series to provide a highly flexible yet compact network design with low power consumption, keeping both CapEx and OpEx low throughout the lifespan of KAMO Power’s network.
Infinera worked closely with partner BlueAlly to design and deploy KAMO Power’s network upgrade.
“As Infinera’s channel partner in this KAMO Power deployment, BlueAlly complements the Infinera XTM Series solution with additional IP solutions and an extensive service offering covering all aspects of the network,” said Maria Will, SVP, Telecom and Broadband at BlueAlly. “With initial network design expertise and a combination of pre-staging, installation, and commissioning services, BlueAlly is able to quickly and seamlessly bring KAMO Power an outstanding rural broadband network with minimal impact to their existing network operations.”
“Infinera’s XTM Series is ideal for rural broadband networks, delivering reliable and cost-effective network connectivity that can scale to meet demand, which is critical for cooperatives like KAMO Power,” said Nick Walden, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales, Infinera. “With Infinera’s XTM solution, KAMO Power can offer a wider range of capacity and provide new services to its cooperative members.”
Indian Electric Cooperative announces the signing of a fiber deal with Cox Communications
In a move to narrow the gap when it comes to broadband access in rural Oklahoma, Indian Electric Cooperative has announced fiber cooperative effort with industry giant Cox Communications.
The innovative approach will accelerate broadband access to unserved and underserved areas of rural Oklahoma, IEC says.
The IEC Board of Directors and Cox Communications executives approved the terms this month.
“Cox is committed to the communities it serves, has local presence, and it is a leader in broadband,” IEC Chief Executive Officer Todd Schroeder said. “While we felt confident in IEC’s ability to provide its own service, it makes a lot more sense to combine the strengths of the co-op in building infrastructure, and the strengths of Cox in providing broadband service to the home. This type of cooperative effort may be unprecedented, but it is the best decision for our membership.”
The agreement means the IEC-built fiber infrastructure, the poles and fiber, remain a co-op asset, which Cox Communications will lease and provide broadband service to IEC members. Co-op leaders explored several other local opportunities, but ultimately chose to enter an agreement with Cox.
The core mission of IEC is to improve the quality of life for its members across seven Oklahoma counties. The agreement with Cox is for a three-year buildout to all 14,000-plus of IEC’s members, with the timeline contingent on material supply availability.
“Our main concerns were ‘how fast can we provide this necessity to all of our members and how can we do it in the most financially responsible way?’” Schroeder said. “By leasing our fiber to Cox Communications, we check both of those boxes.”
Reminiscent of how the cooperative began with providing electricity to rural farmers in 1939, it is once again necessity that drives the mission.
“It is similar, just a more modern approach,” Schroeder said. “This move will change the lives of people who have been, simply because of their zip code, shut out for decades when it comes to technology advancements. They now will have a bridge to options.”
The cooperative effort with Cox allows IEC to be a gateway to more opportunity for the member. IEC’s previous plan to build fiber lines independently through its subsidiary InTech Connect would have offered high-speed Internet connections only. However, in using the IEC infrastructure, Cox Communications also will be able to provide more resources in addition to Internet, like TV, plus seasoned technical support experts.
The values of Cox Communications are line with values of the co-op, IEC said. Cox CEO Alex Taylor, who heads the company today, is the great-grandson of the original founder, James M. Cox. It is the largest private broadband provider in the U.S., serving 7 million homes in 18 states.
“Communities have trusted Cox since our founding in 1898, and we are honored that IEC has put their trust in us to deliver powerful high-speed Internet to its members,” said Roger Ramseyer, Market Vice President, Cox Communications. “This cooperative effort ensures rural communities through the seven-county region have the critical access needed to take advantage of online, work, learning and healthcare and increases their opportunity for economic gain.”
In 2021, IEC announced its priority in building a fiber pilot project in the small town of Fairfax, which is underserved. Construction is in progress there. Since a tornado ripped through the small town in 2018, IEC has provided free Wi-Fi along the main business district of Fairfax. Outside of that, residents don’t have reliable options.
With the signing of official documents, IEC and Cox confirm their commitment to ensure service in Fairfax remains the first priority. Additional new service zones will be announced by Cox as they approach construction. IEC members can go to cox.com/getfiber to sign up for updates on fiber access. Additionally, cox.com/bundles has the information on services and the affordable prices Cox offers in its Tulsa market.
IEC still is pursuing multiple avenues to receive state and/or federal infrastructure funding intended for rural broadband expansion projects to offset investment costs to members.
