On January 21, 2011, the ENMR Telephone Cooperative (ENMR) began laying 74 miles of new fiber in two of the five communities where it will deploy broadband service as a result of a BTOP grant. Extending through eastern New Mexico and west Texas, the network will bring broadband connections to more than 200 underserved anchor institutions, increasing Internet access speeds to 1Gbps at educational institutions, public safety organizations, healthcare facilities, and government agencies.

In all five markets, ENMR will provide new broadband fiber and connectivity service, delivering Internet at discounted rates to local rural schools, state agencies, and other anchor facilities. This new network will also expand distance learning opportunities for students at schools and libraries at rural areas.

As of March 2011, BTOP funds have allowed ENMR to install more than 29 miles of new fiber. ENMR has already negotiated its construction contracts and permits with equipment vendors and expects to start construction on the remaining three market areas by mid-May 2011. ENMR estimates it will complete construction on the entire project by January 2012.

Last Updated: October 17, 2011.

On August 25, 2011, Enventis Telecom, a subsidiary of HickoryTech, held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction on its middle-mile project. Held at Rice’s Point in Duluth, Minn., the event had approximately 80 people in attendance. Several speakers, including U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon, delivered remarks about the advantages of broadband and how Enventis’ new network will benefit 36 rural communities across 23 counties. State and company leaders performed the ceremonial first dig to formally launch the initial phase of the project.

Enventis’ Greater Minnesota Broadband Collaborative Project will bring affordable high-capacity Ethernet services to unserved and underserved rural areas. The new network will connect approximately 70 community anchor institutions to the Internet at speeds of up to 10GB.

Construction began on the Minneapolis/St. Paul to Duluth/Superior route, with Enventis laying fiber lines that will be part of a new 428-mile open access network. As of early December 2011, nearly 171 innerduct miles and 73 miles of fiber have been completed. Enventis expects to finish construction in the fall of 2013.

This project is creating jobs in construction, engineering, and project management.

Last Updated: December 23, 2011

In September 2011, First Step Internet completed construction on seven microwave towers, which will extend broadband Internet coverage with speeds up to 100 Mbps across Idaho’s rural counties of Latah, Idaho, Clearwater, Lewis, and Nez Perce. With these seven towers, First Step Internet also activated a wireless area network that covers more than 150 miles and connected nine community anchor institutions, including two libraries, five schools, one Medical clinic, and one City Government building.

As part of the project, First Step Internet plans to build a total of 10 microwave towers and 69 fixed microwave paths that will connect a regional 550-mile network and provide wireless Internet access to as many as 21,000 households, 700 businesses, and 42 community anchor institutions.

First Step Internet’s network will also complement the Nez Perce Tribe Reservation Broadband Enhancement project, another BTOP grant that is providing high-speed, affordable broadband services across 1,200 square miles of reservation land. Combined, these two grants will provide complete broadband coverage for members of the reservation.
Additionally, First Step Internet launched an innovative outreach campaign to promote the benefits of broadband. The program created a television public service announcement to showcase the project’s construction progress and detail how high-speed Internet access will benefit the community.

Last Updated: December 7, 2011

Future Generations Graduate School’s West Virginia project is using the community presence of fire stations across the state to increase broadband access. In a novel twist on the concept of community anchor institutions, Future Generations WV will use BTOP funds to outfit and open 60 computer centers in fire stations, with a focus on low-income counties. The project has already opened 30 centers in 18 counties. Currently, 26 centers hold basic computer skills classes, and educational partner organizations are contracted to run additional training on topics such as e-commerce, chronic disease self-management and substance abuse, and community-based emergency response and awareness. Many of the courses are offered as self-paced learning so that users can fit the training around their busy schedules.

FutureGenerations WV is using survey research in each community to assess needs and measure project impact. Eight surveyors conducted 900 door-to-door household surveys from July to November 2010. While 66 percent of the households owned computers, only 48 percent had access to broadband. Respondents noted that high costs and lack of access were two main reasons for not using broadband at home.

The volunteer fire departments and emergency rescue squads manage the centers and maintain at least one computer mentor at each center to assist the community in training and using the computers. The public computer centers have already proven particularly helpful in communities struggling with high unemployment. An unemployed paramedic commented, “I don’t feel I can afford the extra bill for the internet. I am in the process of completing online courses for the requirements of the nursing class I am pursuing. Upper Laurel has been such a blessing to me.” So far 783 West Virginians have been active users at the centers. Future Generations hopes that the centers will help residents to pursue higher education and retrain for job opportunities. In addition, volunteer fire department and rescue squads are learning to submit reports electronically and access supplemental online training programs for certifications and continued learning.

Last Updated: October 17, 2011.