Rural broadband project gets $3M grant

BASCOM — A $9.6 million local cooperative project to install fiber broadband service throughout rural Seneca County has received a $3 million grant from the Ohio Department of Development office of Broadband Ohio. Bascom Communications and North Central Electric Cooperative announced the grant Thursday afternoon and elaborated on plans for their joint "middle-mile expansion pilot project." The collaboration is the first step to providing fiber-based broadband services to rural areas of Seneca and Crawford counties – "and beyond" – according to Nate Brickner, general manager and CEO of Bascom Communications. He and Ed VanHoose, president and CEO of North Central Electric Cooperative, explained the process and the steps involved in the project. By leveraging existing infrastructure, the project aims to "bridge the digital divide" and provide the members of both co-ops with reliable and affordable internet connectivity. Internet access, or faster access, is a benefit to education, public safety and economic development. The grant provides 31% of the funds needed for the first phase, which will create multiple rings of fiber infrastructure in the county totaling 148 miles of new fiber and 57 miles of existing fiber. The project will pass 1,615 homes and businesses, which will be connected during a later phase. Brickner said the rings, or nodes, will provide the "high-speed backbone" of the system. "It will allow us to spider out from each node quickly, which will allow us to expand more quickly," he said. "Once we get this in place it'll be a game changer." In the meantime, the project includes connecting WiFi access points at each of the township offices that agree to participate. The centrally located WiFi will provide nearby service to people who have no or little internet access. Not only does broadband service benefit North Central Electric's members, but it also allows better electric service, said VanHoose. "Our mission is to provide the highest level of service to our communities and everything we do revolves around that mission," he said. "There is a huge need on the electric side to have this type of communications infrastructure," he said. "It allows us to monitor electric distribution equipment in real-time." He said that will lead to fewer outages and quicker reaction times when they happen. Katy Hobbs, executive director of the Ohio Rural Broadband Association, said the first phase of the cooperation among cooperatives was exciting. Because extending broadband to rural areas is not profitable, she said smaller local providers such as Bascom Communications are "leading the charge." "But many are trying to do it alone," she said. "Both North Central Electric and Bascom Communications see the benefit to the local communities. They know working together will get them farther than working alone. "Hopefully, it can become a template for others to follow," she said. To learn more about the project, or to receive updates from Bascom Communications, residents can visit www.bascomcommunications.com/nce.