|
|
 |
Building a Communications Network for the Future
Northeast Missouri Rural Telephone Company (NEMR)’s Broadband Stimulus Application to construct fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) in the Unionville Missouri telephone exchange has been approved. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement in February saying the approved broadband projects will create construction jobs now to build high speed Internet networks and bring broadband to rural America so that Americans can compete in a global 21st Century economy. NEMR’s general manager, Gary Godfrey stated, "This project will provide greatly improved broadband services and create the potential for increases in business growth, public safety services and quality of life for residents in the Unionville area. It will be a big economic boost for our community."
Funding for this project is being provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act appropriated $7.2 billion to expand broadband access, increase jobs, spur investments in technology and infrastructure, and provide long-term economic benefits. USDA, Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is using Recovery Act funds to make loans and grants for broadband infrastructure available in rural areas. NEMR’s approved application includes a $5,140,458 loan and a $5,140,458 grant.
The $10.2 million Unionville FTTP project involves burying a fiber optic cable to every residence and business in the Unionville, Missouri (660-947) telephone exchange. State of the art electronics with a 1 Gig capacity will be installed at each premise and in the Unionville central office to connect the fibers. The Unionville exchange is a 170 square mile area in Putnam County. A population of approximately 3,200 residents and 1,600 premises are located within the exchange. Construction on the project will begin this spring and conversion of Unionville customers to the new fiber will begin in 2011.
Northeast Missouri Rural Telephone Company (NEMR) is a cooperative that is entirely owned by the customers it has served. NEMR has been providing high quality telephone service since 1952, dialup Internet service since the mid-1990’s and broadband Internet since 2001. NEMR introduced dialup Internet service to its rural customers in 1995. NEMR’s first Internet connections used 14.4K modems, then 28.8, 33.6 and 56K. It was apparent in the very early stages of providing Internet, there would be a steady demand for increased bandwidth. In the fall of 1996 NEMR requested and was approved for an RUS/RTB loan to completely upgrade its telephone system by connecting all 14 of its central offices in a fiber ring and extending fiber deep into the rural areas so every premise would be within 18,000 feet of fiber. This massive project and the goal of offering 768K broadband Internet to all was completed in 2006.
Also in the 1990’s NEMR worked with local high schools to help form the Education Plus Network and NEMO net. EPN leveraged NEMR’s fiber network to become Missouri’s first ITV public school network to offer high school classes over fiber optics. EPN serves Putnam County R-I, Milan C-II, Green City R-I and Adair County R-I (Novinger). NEMO Net, ITV public school network, includes Scotland County R-I, Clark County R-I, Schuyler County R-I, Marion County R-II and North Shelby. NEMO Net uses fiber owned by Mark Twain Rural Telephone Company and NEMR.
With an accelerating demand for more Internet speed and all the new devices customers are attaching to the network, it is apparent that 18,000 ft. copper loops and 768K Internet will not satisfy broadband needs for the future. Some in the telecommunications industry are recommending a national goal of having 90% of American premises connected to 100Mbps broadband service by 2020. That’s more than 100 times the current speed of 768K connections. The equipment NEMR will install in the Unionville exchange will be fully capable of exceeding this goal. The approval of NEMR’s broadband application means that NEMR will be building a "communications network for the future" in Unionville this year.
Back to MTIA News Home Page
|
|
