Arkansas-based Mississippi County Electric Cooperative has selected Conexon to provide a range of broadband management services including network design, engineering, construction management, and customer technical support for its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network.
The electric cooperative's five-year project, encompassing 600 miles of fiber, is in the early stages of construction. Customers are expected to begin receiving high-speed Internet and phone services in mid-2020.
"At a time of uncertainty, one thing is certain: The world is interconnected in many ways, and the future of information, education, work, healthcare, shopping, social connection and entertainment are all tied to Internet access," said Conexon Partner Jonathan Chambers. "We're proud to be part of MCEC's plans to bring world-class broadband to its members and the broader community. While much of the world has hit the pause button, MCEC is moving forward."
Through the co-op's broadband subsidiary MCEC Fiber, the planned fiber-optic network is intended to offer members access to symmetrical gigabit Internet capabilities. Additionally, it is intended to enable enhancements and smart grid capabilities to the electrical infrastructure such as improved power outage response times, better load balancing, more efficient electricity delivery and others.
"We have long seen the need of our members and communities for reliable and fast Internet service, given that it has become a necessity in many parts of life," said Mississippi County Electric Cooperative President and CEO Brad Harrison. "This network is important for our community, and Conexon opened our eyes to the fact that not only could we provide the service, but we could offer a gold-plated solution to our members. We will be relying heavily on the Conexon team for its expertise and support as we deploy our network."
"Time and again we have heard electric cooperative clients stress the criticality of broadband and its educational, societal and economic growth benefits to preserve the rural way of life," Conexon Partner Randy Klindt said. "We applaud Mississippi County Electric's leadership for its commitment to ensuring those benefits for its communities, and we are excited to play a role."