Speak up and share your thoughts on broadband

Many of you have heard that your cooperative has been considering offering high-speed, fiber-based broadband internet throughout the service territory. To that end, we underwent a broadband feasibility study designed to look at the competitive environment, need for service, and business models (among other things) so we could establish a baseline for making the decision to either move forward with this new venture or to withdraw. I want to take this opportunity to give you an update on the results of the first phase of the feasibility study and to let you know about our next steps.

The feasibility study returned some mixed results. We know that from a need-for-service standpoint, there are other providers offering service to at least part of the territory. Now, don’t get me wrong — I realize that not all these providers have what I would call “highspeed” broadband. Many of us here at your cooperative have heard from you, the members, about the lack of reliable internet service. Still, we must be realistic in our approach. That means we need to recognize there are areas within the service territory that do have adequate service.

The problem remains, though, that there are wide swaths of the territory where adequate service simply isn’t available. So, we’re left with a conundrum. How do you go about offering
affordable service to the most rural areas, when the more populated areas have mostly been cherry-picked by other companies? Further, because these companies have offered service to select households within the service territory, any new entrant seeking to serve the truly last-mile consumer cannot access federal grants funds because of the limitations in the FCC mapping used to determine eligibility.

It’s tough. The good news is — it’s not insurmountable. Don’t let these issues discourage you. I do know there is still a need for a significant portion of the households in the area served by the cooperative. In fact, the feasibility study identified more than 10,000 households in the combined service territories of North Central Electric and Lorain-Medina Rural Electric. And that’s just for two of the 24 co-ops in Ohio! You could imagine the need if we looked at the entirety of the rural parts of the state.

So, despite the challenges inherent in the funding model, business plan, and competitive environment, your cooperative has decided to move to phase two of the feasibility process.
That means we need to conduct a survey of you, the membership. The survey is designed to tell us if our assumptions in the feasibility study are correct. The results will inform your board and cooperative management if we should move ahead to an actual buildout. All of what I’ve told you leads me to this final point:

I need a favor.

When you are contacted about the survey, please answer. We need you to speak up and let us know your thoughts. Remember, this is your cooperative. Your voice matters, and we simply won’t make this type of decision and accompanying investment without consulting with the membership first. Please keep an eye open for more information in your bill, on social media, and on our website about the survey. I look forward to updating you once it’s complete.