Blandin Foundation 2019 broadband conference MN

1. A PROUD HISTORY
A VIBRANT FUTURE
Blandin
2019 Broadband
Conference
October 8-10, 2019

2. Meeker Cooperative
Light and Power Association
•Established 1935
•Serve in six counties
•Meeker, Mcleod,
Renville, Kandiyohi,
Stearns, Wright
•Litchfield, MN
•Nine directors
•28 employees

3. Meeker Co-op, continued
•~7800 member-owners & ~9000 electric
services
•14 Electric Substations
•1935 miles of electric line
•~ 4 members per mile of line
•Heartland Security Services
•STAR Energy Services
•Wildblue, exede, Viasat

4. Smart Grid & Broadband
Analysis Timeline
• 2015 – Blandin Meeting
• 2016 – 2017: Fiber to Substations and the Home
• 2017 – 2018: Hybrid System
• 2017 - 2018: Meeker County Study
• May 2018: Substation Fiber Backbone Approved
• June 2018: Hybrid Broadband Project Approved

5. Meeker Cooperative’s
Broadband Project
Scope of Project
• Fiber buildout to the Co-op’s 14 substations
o Smart Grid Technology
• Provide high speed broadband internet to
Meeker’s service area

6. What is A Hybrid Broadband
System?
• Combo fiber / wireless
system
• Fiber backbone to substations
• Fiber to monopoles poles
• Poles transmit a wireless
signal to a device at a
customer’s home or business
• Also known as a Fixed
Wireless system

7. VIBRANT Hybrid System
•~450 miles of fiber
•47 – 120 foot monopoles
•2 existing towers
•5-6 miles apart

8. Construction and
Installation Timeline
• Construction Began October 2018
• Two year buildout
• Construction Completion October 2020
• Installation to Broadband Customers
Began July 2019

9. Broadband Construction Process
1. Network Design
2. Obtain Easements (1,200)
3. Electric Line Make Ready Construction
4. Fiber Backbone Construction
5. Fiber Lateral Construction
6. Headend Installation
7. Pole Installation
8. Pole Equipment Installation
9. Design and Staking to Customers
10. Construction to Customers
11. Customer Home Installation

10. VIBRANT website
www.vibrantBB.net or
www.vibrantBB.com or
www.vibrantBB.coop

11. Competitor (DSL) vs. VIBRANT (FW)

12. VIBRANT
Miscellaneous
•Financing – RUS &
CoBank
•44 Employees +
4 Temps
•VIBRANT Name

13. Ribbon Cutting Dedication Ceremony

14. Internet access for Unserved
and Underserved Areas is Solved
with. . .