With a cautious eye on the price tag, 4-County Electric Power Association is moving forward with its consideration of providing broadband internet services for its 49,000 customers, including those in the Golden Triangle.
In a press release issued Friday, the member-owned electric co-op said it has conducted three separate feasibility studies. Last year, the Mississippi Legislature approved a law that allows electric co-ops to provide broadband.
According to 4-County, the cost of broadband project could be as much as $110 million.
“A project of this size would be by far the largest and most expensive we’ve ever taken on in our 80-plus years of existence,” 4-County General Manager Brian Clark said in the release. “We want to make sure that we have the best possible information and the most diligent planning to make this decision.”
Clark said 4-County will use the data and feedback from its feasibility studies to devise a range of potential scenarios.
“Over the next several weeks, we’ll be meeting with the consultants who prepared the studies and getting into the real nuts and bolts. It’s a chance to make sure all our assumptions are what they need to be, that the details are correct so we are looking at as realistic a model as is possible,” Clark said.
One key factor could be the availability of federal funds designated to help extend broadband services to rural areas such as the communities 4-County services.
That funding, called the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) through the Federal Communications Commission, will make $20 billion available for those efforts. How much of those funds 4-County can secure may be pivotal, Clark said.
“If we were able to get 10 to 15 percent or more of our project costs through grants, that would go a long way towards making the project a go,” Clark added.
Clark said 4-County has not established a deadline for making the decision.
“It is very important that we do everything we can to make sure that if we move forward, we put as little risk on 4-County and our members as is possible,” Clark said. “That includes exploring other options such as partnerships with existing internet providers.”
Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, who led the effort to amend the law that would allow co-ops to provide broadband services for its customers, welcomed 4-County’s continued consideration of the project.
“I am proud to see that 4-County is still considering a broadband project to help their member-owners get connected to the outside world,” Presley said. “Broadband service in 2020 is becoming as necessary for modern life as electricity. Communication with member-owners is very key, no matter what the outcome of the decision. With nine other electric cooperatives already moving forward with broadband projects, Mississippi is seeing a rural broadband revolution.”
Presley urged 4-County not to wait too long to make its decision.
“Preliminary estimates show that we, as a state, could receive between $500 million to $700 million of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund from the FCC,” Presley said. “There will be a reverse auction in October to disperse those funds. The next eight months are critical, and if any cooperative or telecom provider misses these funds, they will be locked out of this program for 10 years. In short, if 4-County says ‘no’ or misses the deadline for application and the auction, then they are dead in the water on this big fund.”
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
READER FAVORITES
Related Photos
Brandon Presley
