telemedicine. “High quality services will improve the eco- nomic landscape and quality of life in north- east Oklahoma,” he said. “Our members know and trust NEOEC, and by meeting their current and future needs the relationship will be strengthened.”
Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative 918-256-6405 info@boltfi
ber.com www.boltfi
ber.com www.neelectric.com
Central Rural Electric Cooperative, Stillwater
For nearly two years, Central Rural Electric
(CREC) has partnered with
ProValue.net, an independent broadband wireless provider based in Stillwater. Receivers placed in cus- tomers’ homes retrieve signal from one or more of ProValue’s 62 towers within its service area. With packages starting at $29.95 per month, CREC members can choose Internet speeds of up to 10 megabits per second. “Before we began working with ProValue, it
reached about half of our members, but this partnership has helped the provider grow,” said Larry Mattox, CREC director of commu- nications. “Now, it covers our entire service area, and more rural homes are signing up.” According to Mattox, the inexpensive rate, local ownership and reliable connection are appealing to CREC members, who make up a large portion of ProValue’s 1,600 customers.
In the short time CREC and ProValue have joined forces, Mattox said both companies have discovered the power of such an import- ant partnership. CREC uses
ProValue.net towers to communicate with its down-line systems and other digital service equipment. “It’s helping us build a smarter grid because we can operate fi eld equipment via wireless Internet,” Mattox said. “We can communicate with devices on our lines from anywhere in ProValue’s service area—for example, a device in Stroud can be controlled from here in Stillwater. A smarter grid allows CREC to re- spond more quickly to outages by providing
14
line workers with more information about the fault.” ProValue is improving the efficiency of
CREC’s power network while promoting a local service to potential consumers. Without the broadband connection, Mattox said CREC members would have to resort to more costly Internet options such as satellite or wireless service via cellphone providers. “Members have asked for years about Internet, and we took our time deciding what would work best,” he said. One other advantage—Mattox said mem- bers easily can combine their electricity and Internet services on one bill.
Central Rural Electric Cooperative 405-372-2884
www.crec.coop www.provalue.net
East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, Okmulgee
(ECOEC) began its venture into high-speed Internet
East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative service with satellite provider
Wildblue in 2005, and the agreement contin- ued when Exede bought out Wildblue a few years later. Although promotions vary, ECOEC works closely with the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) to offer discounts on installation fees and monthly bills. “The normal installation fee is $49.95, but depending on what’s available to use, we can sometimes offer free installation and $10 off the bill for three months,” said Micah White, ECOEC member and public relations repre- sentative. “NRTC does a good job of working with us on marketing promotions.” Exede recently introduced new packages
with faster speed and download capabilities; two of the most popular options both offer unlimited access for under $100 per month. Download speeds are as fast as 12 megabits per second. While many co-ops are consider- ing the possibility of fi ber optic service, White said satellite Internet is ECOEC’s most eco- nomic option. According to Exede’s provider, ViaSat, Exede is the fi rst satellite Internet plan
“Members make the decisions—it all comes back around to what our members need and want. In the digital age, this is just one more
service we can provide for them.” - Micah White, ECOEC member and public relations representative
to offer unlimited, full-speed access for web pages and email. “Exede is No. 1 in the nation for providing advertised speed, and it’s always looking to improve the service and stay competitive,” he said. Okmulgee oil fi eld equipment company
Repair Processes, Inc., (RPI) depends on fast and reliable Internet service for shipping and placing orders, emailing customers and con- ducting other daily operations. Although RPI could have chosen to use another provider such as SuddenLink or AT&T, it has been a loyal Exede customer for several years. RPI employee B.J. Hammon said the outstanding customer service is one of Exede’s biggest advantages.
“If we ever have a question, the techs re- spond the same day and explain to me in lay- man’s terms what’s wrong and how we can fi x the problem,” he said. “The technical support makes me feel like we’re its only customers— after hours, weekends, any time.” ECOEC regularly promotes Exede to its members through direct mailings, monthly newsletters and an informational booth at the co-op’s annual meeting. At least 680 members currently are satellite customers, but White said that doesn’t mean the co-op won’t ex- plore alternative options in the future. “Members make the decisions—it all comes
back around to what our members need and want,” he said. “In the digital age, this is just one more service we can provide for them.”
East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative 918-756-0833
www.ecoec.com http://www.inside-coop.com/eceok/
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