Lake Region Electric Cooperative has always been member-focused. In the 1930s, rural America had been left in the dark as electricity made its way across the country. Electricity had become a modern necessity, and cities enjoyed the opportunities it brought. But rural folks had to do without until the men and women of Lake Region stepped up and formed the electric cooperative.
In the 21st century, new technology emerged as an essential service for homes and businesses: broadband internet. This technology transforms lives and brings economic development to the areas that adopt it. Once again, rural members have been left behind. Lake Region surveyed their members back in the early stages of our fiber-to-the-home build-out and overwhelmingly saw a need for reliable, affordable, and fast internet with great customer service.
Lake Region was already providing satellite internet to bridge the gap for many rural folks experiencing dial-up service. Lake Region knew its members needed their co-op to step up to the plate and offer a superior service where no one else would.
The members came to Lake Region asking for help from various internet service providers that offered abysmal speeds, poor customer service, and no existing investment in infrastructure for reliability and future growth. Lake Region knew they could fill this void and become the local trusted internet provider their rural communities needed.
In 2012-2013 Lake Region started a fiber pilot zone, which included 200 miles of fiber optic lines. The pilot zone was completed and revealed it would be beneficial to the cooperative and their members.
After studying the feasibility of the pilot zone, Lake Region formed a fiber telecom subsidiary and started a complete three-phase build-out of the entire electric service area. A large project was underway being constructed from the ground up.
The goal is to provide access to the best broadband service around to each and every community within LREC’s service territory across Cherokee, Wagoner, Muskogee, Rogers, and Mayes Counties, even those in the most remote areas. The board of directors and management were firmly committed to providing internet, TV, and home phone to all Lake Region Electric members who choose to subscribe.
“Currently, we are near 9,000 subscribers, and halfway through our final Phase III build-out plan of our entire electric grid just over 3,000 miles of line. We hope to have service available to all our electric members in late 2022 or early 2023,” said Glen Clark, Director of Marketing and Member Services.
Lake Region Technology & Communications is a locally-owned and operated subsidiary of Lake Region Electric Cooperative located in Hulbert, Okla., and is a member of the Cooperative Broadband Coalition.