Leaders discuss future of rural broadband service — Bowling Green Daily News

By Dewayne McDonald and Johnny McClanahan

The availability of high-speed internet in Warren County has long been a topic of concern among residents.

Like a lot of the country, some of our most rural residents are consistently at a disadvantage when it comes to broadband access. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting work-from-home and nontraditional instruction requirements have only deepened the digital divide.

Now more than ever, high-speed internet access is a crucial resource for families and businesses alike. However, rural broadband is a challenging task. If it were a profitable endeavor, the large private companies would already provide the service.

Before COVID-19 was even imagined, the Warren Rural Electric Cooperative Corp. board of directors heard the call for high-speed internet from our members loud and clear. Though our primary mission is to provide safe, reliable electricity, we knew there was an opportunity for potential partners to provide high-speed internet services to our members who are underserved or unserved. North Central Telephone Cooperative, a local telephone cooperative, saw that same need in Warren County as it was rolling out its high-speed internet service in neighboring Allen County.

Read the full article in the Bowling Green Daily News

Construction update: Construction going strong

Crews have been hard at work and much progress has been made toward bringing fast fiber internet to parts of Warren County. Here’s the latest:

AREA 2, 3 and 4

Areas 2, 3 and 4 are built and spliced and most all drops have been installed. Once individual drops have been installed, NCTC will call to schedule an appointment to connect you to fiber service. Please allow 2-3 weeks from the installation of the drop for service installations to be available.

What does this mean for you? Appointments for installing high-speed broadband at your house should be available in about 3 weeks.

AREA 5

Area 5 is built and spliced, and drops are now beginning to be installed. Once individual drops have been installed, NCTC will call to schedule an appointment to connect you to fiber service. Please allow 2-3 weeks from the installation of the drop for service installations to be available.

AREA 6

Area 6 is expected to be completely built by Aug. 7 and splicing will begin Aug. 10. Drops are expected to begin the week of Aug. 17. Once individual drops have been installed, NCTC will call to schedule an appointment to connect you to fiber service. Please allow 2-3 weeks from the installation of the drop for service installations to be available.

View the Pilot Buildout Plan Map (PDF)

Construction update: Unexpected delays prompt timeline adjustments

While construction continues, unforeseen delays have set timelines back a bit. NCTC and Warren RECC remain dedicated to bringing blazing-fast internet to the region as quickly and responsibly as possible. Below is an updated timeline.

• Drops in area 3 will be started this week.
• Area 4 construction is expected to be complete this week and splicing will start this week.
• Area 5 should be complete the week of July 13.
• Area 6 should be complete the week of July 27.
• Area 7 should be complete the week of August 17.

View the Pilot Buildout Plan Map (PDF)

Fiber network phases to completion

Warren RECC and NCTC are building a fiber network to serve homes and businesses in southeast Warren County. Fiber is the fastest, most advanced way to deliver internet service to meet our needs today and into the future. We have outlined the steps to bringing this service to you.

Planning — Warren RECC and NCTC have worked to develop a build out plan that will progress in seven areas for the fiber network. View the areas here (PDF). Anyone living in these areas is encouraged to request service now. It’s a fast, easy process, and those who request early will be serviced first in that area.

Preorder — Warren RECC and NCTC work hard to notify homes and businesses in these areas before construction begins, encouraging people to preorder fiber service. This allows Warren RECC and NCTC to go ahead and build out to the houses earlier, so that customers can be connected sooner. Click here to learn more about preordering, and be sure to tell your neighbors, too.

Construction — Crews do the laborious job of running fiber along the predetermined routes. One area will be finished before crews move on to the next area. After an area is completed, a representative will contact everyone in that area who has preordered service to schedule an appointment for a drop to be installed on the exterior of their home. This brings the fiber to your home and prepares you for the final phase.

Installation — When the drops have been completed, NCTC will contact you to schedule an appointment to install fiber internet, starting with those who preordered service. During installation, a small box called an ONT, or optical network terminal, is installed in the interior of your home. Once a wireless router, either purchased through NCTC (highly recommended) or yourself is connected, you’re ready to enjoy all the benefits of blazing-fast broadband.