Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Hulbert For Lake Region Electric Cooperative (LREC) members Jarrod and Jerri
Welch, high-speed Internet is a “lifesaver” on their ranch near Tahlequah. Their two teenage sons often are required to complete homework online, and Jarrod’s position as an IT specialist for a company of 24-hour grocery stores demands fast and reliable Internet access. Despite their close prox- imity to Tahlequah, the family’s Internet options were extremely limited until a couple of years ago when Jarrod and Jerri submitted LREC’s Internet survey. They volunteered to participate in a fi ber optic pilot project, and in the summer of 2014 they joined the new Lake Region Technology and Communications network. The co-op was the fi rst in Oklahoma to imple- ment fi ber-to-home technology. “It’s been a God-send,” Jerri said. “The Internet is a vital part of Jarrod’s
job. When problems occur, he can fi x a lot of things remotely from home instead of driving the hour into Tulsa.” Additionally, the convenience of high-speed Internet supports the fami- ly’s cattle operation, providing quick resources for researching genetics, emailing other ranches and registering animals online. “A lot of times, we’ve got two or three laptops going at once,” Jerri said.
“Just because you live in rural America doesn’t mean you can’t shop from home or work online.” The Welch family is one of LREC’s 600 pilot customers, many of whom committed to the project before the 200 miles of fi ber optic cable was in- stalled. Basic packages begin at $49 per month, and Internet easily can be bundled with 300 digital, high-defi nition TV channels, as well as unlimited local and long distance phone service. “At around 150 gigs per month, it’s really not comparable to satellite,”
said Hamid Vahdatipour, LREC CEO. “We estimate an average household can download whatever they want and never run out of bandwidth.” LREC also provides the last mile of fi ber connection for K-Power Net to
cellphone towers, several businesses and four rural schools: Briggs, Grandview, Lowery and Peggs. The pilot project has garnered high marks and although it currently only serves a small fraction of the co-op’s mem- bership, Vahdatipour and his staff plan to expand the network. “Broadband is the new necessity,” he said. “We believe it’s our mission and a good fi t for us to step in and provide this service.” On January 29th the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted
to change the defi nition of broadband Internet by raising the minimum speed required for that standard to 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. Based on this new defi nition, LREC is the only broadband provider in the majority of the co-op’s service territory, Vahdatipour said. Stanley Young, LREC director of member relations and marketing, said
the co-op will study the project’s feasibility and compare projected expenses with actual numbers. “Keeping the project small for now helps us iron out problems with the
technology before we expand,” he said. For members who do not yet have access to the Lake Region Technology
and Communications network, Exede high-speed satellite service, a subsid- iary of Wildblue, also is available. Rates start at $58 per month for 10 gigabits of usage.
Jarrod and Jerri Welch, Lake Region Electric Cooperative members, volunteered for the co-op’s fi ber optic pilot project and now enjoy high-speed Internet service with their two sons Caleb (left) and Kyle (right). Photo by Gail Banzet-Ellis
Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, Vinita Three years ago, Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (NEOEC)
took a similar approach and conducted a survey of its membership. The consensus was clear—members wanted reliable broadband service. “We knew fi ber was the answer,” said Sheila Allgood, Bolt Fiber Optic services manager. “Broadband networks are good for bringing in new busi- nesses and supporting education. We needed to make a change to revitalize our local communities.”
Allgood has 15 years of experience managing RECtec, a subsidiary of
NEOEC that provides fi ber optic service to Green Country schools and libraries. She has shifted her attention to the co-op’s newest division, Bolt Fiber Optic Services, which is expected to launch this spring. The $90 million project connects 3,200 miles of fi ber communication to more than 32,000 members in four counties. More than 3,000 eager members have already paid the $100 installation fee. “Our customers will have broadband 100 times faster than the national average,” Allgood said.
Lake Region Electric Cooperative 800-364-LREC
http://www.lrecok.coop/content.cfm?id=2107 www.lrecok.net
Bolt Fiber Optics is being touted as the largest gigabit network in the nation, an ambitious endeavor for a small rural electric co-op, but Allgood said the investment is worth every penny. “Right now, broadband is considered a necessity, not a luxury,” she said. With the help of a loan from the USDA’s Rural Utilities Services division and a $1 million grant from the FCC, Bolt’s infrastructure for phase one of the three-phase project is nearly complete. In addition to single play broadband, Bolt will offer a “triple play” bundle of broadband, TV and phone service. The fi ber network also will support substations and boost the reliability of NEOEC’s electric service. “It all goes back to the co-op principles of concern for community and cooperation among cooperatives,” said Cindy Hefner, NEOEC manager of public relations. “Not only will BOLT meet a vital need in our commu- nities, it will also offer triple-play services to other co-ops through the sharing of headend services—our subsidiary already has the expertise and certifi ed employees, so they won’t have to invest in those initial costs.” NEOEC CEO Anthony Due said the benefi ts co-op members and other
rural Oklahomans will receive from Bolt could lead to other opportunities such as home security monitoring, smart grid technology and
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