printBarnard -- ECFiber is finally doing what it has talked about for years.
Score! for Two Rural Broadband Teams
01/26/2012
ECFiber Goes Live!
For Immediate Release 8/23/2011
For more information, contact Bob Merrill, 802-457-4938, info@ecfiber.net
ECFiber Goes Live!
SOUTH ROYALTON – Having completed its beta testing, and with the Phase I project nearly complete, ECFiber began connecting its first customers today. Eight customers have been beta-testing the system for the past two weeks, getting sustained 5Mbps symmetrical service.
ECFiber to Launch in Barnard
"Valley News" June 30, 2011
It's stringing fiber optic cable on poles and building a network that will deliver Internet service to customers that will make it easier to download movies and TV shows or video conference.
ECFiber Announces Plan To Connect Entire Town of Barnard, Vermont
To all media contacts:
For Immediate Release 6/20/2011
For more information, contact Bob Merrill, 802-457-4938, info@ecfiber.net
ECFiber Announces Plan To Connect Entire Town of Barnard, Vermont
SOUTH ROYALTON, VERMONT
East Central Vermont Community Fiber Network (ECFiber) today announced plans
to build the second phase of a fiber-optic network encompassing the entire
town of Barnard, Vermont. This project is intended to deliver service to
every Barnard business and resident who wants high-speed internet and
nation-wide telephone service.
Phase 1, with construction under way (see photo) and scheduled to go live in
early August, brings an ultra-high-speed fiber loop from the ECFiber central
office near I89 Exit 3, along VT Routes 107 and 12, to the center of
Barnard. ECFiber expects to begin connecting businesses and residents who
live on this route in early August and will provide detailed subscriber
information closer to that date.
Since its formation in 2005, the ECFiber Governing Board has been working to
bring high-speed fiber-optic service to everyone in its 23 member towns.
Originally, funding was to come from commercial markets to facilitate the
build-out of the entire 1600 mile network. However, the recession and
subsequent crash of the financial markets led ECFiber to turn to local
funding sources and to build its network on a town-by-town basis. On January
4, 2011 the organization closed on the sale of almost $1 million of private
notes, accelerating the construction of a central hub and the Phase 1 trunk.
At its June meeting, the ECFiber Governing Board authorized an initiative to
extend service to the rest of Barnard town. This requires a second round of
capital-raising through a similar "friends and families" offering directed
specifically to residents, businesses, and others who wish to support the
deployment of universal broadband in Barnard.
Loredo Sola, ECF Governing Board Chair commented, "When we first took our
plan to Barnard, we were inundated with residents offering to pay the entire
cost of extending the Phase 1 trunk to their homes. This enthusiastic
response inspired us to authorize a Barnard-only fund drive." ECFiber will
be organizing informational meetings for Barnard residents and businesses to
explain the details of the plan.
When sufficient funds have been committed to build out the entire town, the
Barnard Local Fund will close, and construction of Phase 2 can begin.
Current photographs of the Phase 1 build can be downloaded from
www.valleynet.dreamhosters.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=66.
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ECFiber is a group of 23 towns working to build a community-owned,
subscriber-funded Fiber-to-the-Home network to provide phone, television,
and ultra-high-speed internet services to 100% of the homes and businesses
in the member towns.
Monthly Governing Board meetings are usually held at Vermont Law School,
Oakes Hall, at 7:00PM on the second Tuesday of each month. (Check the
website for cancellations or change of location.) Our meetings are open to
the public.
ECFiber Exceeds Phase I Financing Goal
For Immediate Release 1/6/2011
For more information, contact Bob Merrill, 802-457-4938, info@ecfiber.net
ECFiber Exceeds Phase I Financing Goal
ROYALTON - ECFiber's Treasurer, John Roy of Vershire, announced that the closing of Phase I Financing concluded on schedule and ahead of projections. A total of $907,500 was raised through private local sources exceeding the original goal of $850,000. ECFiber expects to begin construction of its Phase I project in the spring.
ECFiber Governing Board Chair Loredo Sola of North Pomfret said, "This is a very important and hard-fought first step. Phase I establishes a baseline for building and operating cost, build time, expected market penetration, and resulting revenue. That baseline gives ECFiber a solid platform on which to build its network to all twenty-three ECFiber member towns."
"More importantly," said Sola, "this community-raised financing demonstrates confidence in a community-owned and managed network as well as frustration that public and private promises to bring us broadband have fallen way short. Here's an example in true Vermont tradition of communities stepping up and taking charge."
ECFiber's original financing plans were derailed by the meltdown of global financial markets in 2008. Since then, the volunteer-run organization has worked diligently to find alternatives to build a fiber-to-the-home network connecting every home, business, and public institution in its territory.
The Phase I project brings fiber-based internet and telecommunications to a specially selected route in sections of Royalton, Bethel, and Barnard, as well as parts of neighboring towns.
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ECFiber is a group of 23 towns working to build a community-owned, subscriber-funded Fiber-to-the-Home network to provide phone, television, and ultra-high-speed internet services to 100% of the homes and businesses in the member towns.
For more information, see www.ecfiber.net.
See the press release for more information.
© 2011 East Central Vermont Community Fiber Network | Contact Us 415 Waterman Road, Royalton, VT 05068 802-763-2262