Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
A project to bring fiber broadband internet to more than 400 homes in the eastern portion of Crook County is expected to begin imminently.
Jesse DuPont of Celerity Networks visited the Crook County Commissioners last week to introduce the project and provide information about the work, which will span the "greater Aladdin and Beulah area", as he termed it, and will be made possible through a federal grant.
One of two county projects to successfully bid for the broadband infrastructure funds, it will provide fiber to the home and to businesses in the Aladdin-Beulah area. It was assigned to Gallatin Wireless Internet, LLC (Celerity Networks) for a grant total of just under $16.3 million.
It is anticipated that the project will provide broadband to 411 unserved households in that area. In such a wide area, this won't be cheap – DuPont provided an estimate of $43,000 per household.
"Not cheap, but it was a good grant and a good application," he said.
Celerity's planned project area takes in a large swathe of territory from the South Dakota border, down the Mona Road, down to Ranches A and B and more.
Because Celerity was able to secure a similar grant across the border in South Dakota, the line will cross into Crook County in five different places to connect into the company's network.
"Basically, I don't think there's a location in this area that we didn't plan to bring fiber to," DuPont said.
There is no known theoretical lifespan for fiber, DuPont said, as it has not yet been reached. He noted that there is plenty of fiber within the United States that has been in operation for 40 years.
One of the important initial steps will be to secure easements, DuPont said. The commission responded supportively, explaining that there is an application process that provides guidelines for work involving county roads.
Generally speaking, DuPont said, Celerity plans to convert their existing wireless customers over at no charge and will offer connections for new customers for a one-time fee. Several packages will be offered, including an affordability option.
According to DuPont, work will begin "in earnest" this summer to install the fiber and is expected to be complete within two to three years.
The U.S. Treasury launched the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund in 2021, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which provides $10 billion for eligible governments to carry out critical projects that directly enable work, education and health monitoring – including remote options.
Governor Mark Gordon designated $75 million of the ARPA funding for broadband infrastructure improvements to ensure Wyomingites can telework, learn from home and have access to telemedicine, Zempel wrote. This was to be administered by the WBC.
On February 21, 2023, the U.S. Treasury approved the Capital Projects Fund to expand broadband infrastructure in Wyoming. The Connect Wyoming program was designed to distribute this funding, focusing on infrastructure deployment.
Jeanne Whalen, present for the conversation, commented that this was the one thing she was unable to achieve during her 12 years as a county commissioner, so it was a pleasant surprise to see the grant awarded. Commissioner Fred Devish thanked her for continuing to "poke away at it", even after her term ended.
