Connectivity project of Troy Cable across rural region nearing completion
TROY— A multi-million dollar project expected to both enable and enhance connectivity between thousands of homes in rural communities in southeastAlabamais more than halfway complete, officials said.
Troy Cable received a grant totaling $26,068,284 in 2010 to assist in the $34 million Southeast Alabama SmartBand Project that deploys a fiber optic Middle Mile network across 595 miles in the region. Troy Cable Special Projects Director Jimmy Copeland said more than 380 miles – or more than 60 percent – of the project is complete. Officials expect to have the entire project done by the summer of 2013.
Officials said the project is expected to provide a critical new broadband route between Pike, Crenshaw, Coffee and Dale counties that could impact an estimated 3,600 businesses and 53,000 households with available speeds between one megabyte and one gigabyte.
In addition, the project is expected to provide direct connections to an estimated 147 public safety entities, schools, libraries, university and community colleges, healthcare facilities, public housing authorities, government buildings and other community support organizations, according to Troy Cable.
Copeland said the company intends to expand the project later in an effort to offer a greater level of services and connectivity to its customers.
Some locations in which fiber optics are being installed never had access to cable or Internet services before, he said.
“Getting 500 miles of fiber run in ruralAlabamahas been a significant undertaking, but as time goes we believe we can take what we’re building and move beyond the initial project,” he said.
“Power companies and cooperatives have been extremely helpful to us and understand the significance and need of such a project in the rural setting we have in southeastAlabama.”
Since the project was announced, officials said jobs created during the process have included contractors to put the fiber into the ground and on poles, as well as accounting, service, installation and technical support jobs.
The high capacity broadband capabilities included in the project could also attract major industries to the region, Copeland said.