Fiber-optic internet, commonly known as “fiber”, is a broadband internet connection using light to transmit data through glass fibers. This technology allows for internet speeds that are faster and more reliable than your typical DSL and cable internet.

Access to reliable high-speed fiber drives economic development and, in today’s world, is essential to every community.

There are several things that determine where we start such as headend locations and redundancy. Forestry and railroad permitting plays a big role. Grant obligations will also dictate certain locations timelines. We are working through these items in our design phase now.

Based on current supply chain and permitting, the project is estimated to cost $260 million.

Our members are our priority; however, we do have plans to work with others to extend our network and provide additional connectivity to non-members areas that don’t have adequate access to fast, reliable internet service.

Our team is working to ensure all our members have access to reliable internet within five years. Funding, permitting, and the system design all factor into what areas will receive access first. We already have boots on the ground in many areas and look forward to construction starting this summer.

White River Connect will offer up to gig speeds for residential services. These speeds will be symmetrical download and upload.

With multiple routes for data transmission, we will be building a redundant system that remains reliable in all times of day.

Construction will begin this summer, and we will start adding subscribers to the network as soon as early 2024.

To help provide our subscribers with affordable rates, we plan to utilize the Electric Cooperative’s existing infrastructure, whenever possible. That includes both overhead and underground.

Fiber internet services will be delivered by White River Connect and will be available to members as well as non-members. Being a for-profit subsidiary, subscribers will not be allocated patronage capital. However, plans will be highly competitive.

The project is being funded through local, state, and federal grants. We are also working with our banking partners to ensure adequate funding for the buildout.

$9.3 million was committed between 3 different counties to use as a local match to help us secure the larger grants available such as the $47 million. The community support has played a big role.

White River Connect will be offering symmetrical speeds up to a gig. That means whether you are uploading photos downloading them, it will take the same amount of time and streaming multiple devices at the same fast speeds.