Bascom Communications, North Central Electric plan rural broadband expansion

Two local cooperatives – Bascom Communications and North Central Electric – unveiled a $26 million project Tuesday that will provide broadband internet connections to all residences in rural Seneca County. During the joint announcement at Seneca East School, Attica, the partners said they have a plan in place to connect 81% of the roughly 9,600 rural homes and businesses that lack fast and reliable internet access with a fiber optic system beginning in 2023. "We are dedicated to making sure no one is left behind," said NCE General Manager Edward VanHoose. "We are going to make sure everyone is served equally no matter where you live in Seneca County. It's what we do on the electrical side and it's what Bascom has been for a very long time on the telephone side." Nate Brickner, general manager and CEO of Bascom Communications, said the Bascom co-op has fiber optic service to about 39% of homes and businesses in the rural areas. He said extending the coverage will take at least three years, and the partners haven't decided yet which part of the county will be first in line. Timing will depend on funding available and partially on higher costs due to inflation. "We knew we weren't going to be able to this alone," he said. "Why not go from co-op to co-op. That's why co-ops exist." "We're going to take both cooperative's resources and use them to help solve a longstanding problem in Seneca County," VanHoose said. "Nate and I have been discussing this for quite some time. We believe that working together we can make an impact." "We're both very passionate about this," Brickner said. "It's something we've been looking at for quite some time. This isn't a small project. It's a very large project and there's a lot of people affected by it." When the project is complete, Brickner said Seneca County will be one of the only counties in Ohio to have complete internet coverage. "This project shows that the dream of ubiquitous fiber coverage in Seneca County is possible," he said. "This infrastructure will be the backbone for economic growth and education, putting us as a destination in the state of Ohio. The collaboration of the two co-ops who care deeply about our community and its well-being for the long run, while providing critical local support, is a huge win for the area." Aaron Montz, president and CEO of Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership, said the project will have a large impact on economic development, housing, business and education. "It's going to take Seneca County light years ahead of where we are today," he said. Speaking for the Seneca County commissioners, Tony Paradiso said the county is blessed to have two co-ops that can work together as well as the education system with trade schools that can prepare needed workers for jobs in the field. "You're always proud to be a resident of Seneca County," he said. "But it's this kind of cooperation and coming together that sets us apart." Paradiso said the commissioners called a meeting, which was well attended, to discuss what could be done. They decided to fund a broadband study to determine the specific needs, which was released Aug. 30. The partners said the need for fast, reliable and affordable broadband internet has "grown exponentially" since the COVID-19 pandemic, and their project will increase access for residents in rural communities, which was highlighted in the recent findings of the Seneca County Broadband Study. "Much like electricity in the 1930s, broadband access is a necessity, not a luxury," VanHoose said. "Helping to bring this essential technology to our service area continues our record of providing services that enhance economic development and the quality of life for our members." During her introduction to the meeting, Laura Kagy, superintendent at Seneca East, said the lack of effective internet in the school district "came to a head" when the COVID school shutdown caused students to try to learn from home and teachers to try to work from home. "It was staggering the number of people who didn't have internet," she said. Kagy called the county commissioners and told them of the problems. "We got a lot of great minds together with drive and talent and resources," she said. "I hope someday you get to feel the impact of what you're doing." Bascom Communications, in operation since 1906, offers fiber-optic technology which includes its Accelerate high-speed Internet, Fiber TV, telephone service, security and personal home safety, Ethernet transport and wireless Internet with LTE and other services. North Central Electric Cooperative, incorporated in 1936, is a not-for-profit electric utility, serving 9,920 consumers in Crawford, Hancock, Huron, Richland, Seneca, Wood and Wyandot counties with about 1,800 miles of underground and overhead lines and 12 substations. To learn more about the project, or to receive regular updates, visit www.bascomcommunications.com/nce.