BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT UPDATE
It’s been some time since the Cooperative has provided a detailed update on the deployment of internet services to all our members. Over the last several weeks, many of you have reached out to the Cooperative’s member services team asking when internet service would be available in your area. We realize this is an important need for our members and want to provide you with as much up-to-date information as is available.
As you may remember, in 2020 the FCC incentivized the deployment of rural broadband services through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). RDOF was a competitive bid process focusing on unserved or underserved census tracts in the rural parts of the nation. Claiborne Electric participated in that process, but its bid was unsuccessful. The census tracts for almost all the Cooperative’s service territory were awarded to a private, third-party provider: Conexon, LLC. Since its initial RDOF award, Conexon has also been awarded supplemental blocks of funding through both Louisiana’s Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities (GUMBO) Program and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Under these programs, it is Conexon’s sole responsibility to construct the almost 3,000 miles of fiber optic infrastructure needed to ensure reliable high-speed internet service to your homes and businesses. Since the broadband network is being funded by a mixture of Federal and State funds, and because Conexon and Claiborne are not joint partners in this initiative, Claiborne has no control over Conexon’s work plan or how quickly it completes its network buildout.
For almost two years, your Cooperative worked diligently with Conexon to negotiate the contract needed to allow Conexon to attach its fiber optic cables to the Cooperative’s poles – poles you as members own. In February 2024, Conexon and Claiborne executed a License Agreement that allowed Conexon full access to the Cooperative’s distribution infrastructure. Since last February, the Cooperative and its engineer have reviewed possible attachments to more than 6,100 Cooperative-owned poles (approximately 277 miles). As of December 2024, Conexon had made service available to only 827 homes or businesses. To put that into perspective, your Cooperative serves more than 24,000 homes and businesses every day.
Since last June, the Cooperative’s staff and engineer have invested countless hours evaluating various design proposals from Conexon which would limit Conexon’s costs to modify Claiborne’s existing infrastructure (often referred to as “make ready” costs) allowing them the space required to install their fiber optic cables on the Cooperative’s poles while complying with all applicable codes and good utility practices. Despite three significant design standard revisions offered by Claiborne, Conexon still remains unwilling to move forward with the make ready process on a system wide basis. The Cooperative continues to engage in almost weekly discussions with Conexon to offer any assistance it can while maintaining the safety, integrity, and reliability of your distribution poles and lines.
Much like the rural electrification more than 80 years ago, this service cannot come fast enough for many of our members. We share your frustrations! In the few cases where Conexon has agreed to reimburse the Cooperative for make ready costs, the Cooperative’s staff and engineers are doing everything they can to expedite the make ready work needed prior to Conexon installing its fiber optic cables. We are proud to say that so far, your Cooperative has met every construction commitment date for this pole line modification work. The ultimate timeline for construction and delivery of your internet service rests solely with Conexon, something far beyond the Cooperative’s control.
While we are periodically updating Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Campbell on the status of this project, the LPSC currently does not have jurisdiction over broadband providers.
We plan to make more frequent updates on the progress of Conexon’s build-out. It is our sincere hope each of those future updates brings better news! In the meantime, if you have specific questions about Conexon’s service to your home or business, please contact Conexon directly at 1-844-542-6663 or visit www.conexonconnect.com.