Clarion County broadband remains years away

The EDC recently hosted a public meeting on the effort to bring high-speed, fiber-optic cable internet to the county, with Kristi Amato, of the Clarion County Planning Office; Michael McGrady, CEO of MCM Consulting; Jack Maytum, senior business analyst for Design Nine; and Richard J. Rossi, of the Delta Development Group.

Heuer said well-planned development of fiber-optic cable broadband service could increase competition between providers and in turn create better service and lower prices.

“Broadband touches everything,” he said. “If we don’t have it, as far as economic development goes, it’s a black mark against us.”

McGrady acknowledged, to this point, major broadband service providers have been hesitant to expand fiber-optic cable into rural areas because the return on their investment is low.

A rural area like Clarion County, he said, faces both socio-economic and topographical challenges in getting broadband service.

Maytum countered despite the challenges rural areas face, he believes better broadband service will eventually arrive.

“Broadband is a necessary utility,” he said. “Rural areas are just as important as urban areas as far as generating data. We think everyone in the future will have (access).”

But fiber-optic infrastructure will take time and money to develop.

McGrady pointed out the cost per mile of fiber-optic infrastructure can cost between $200,000 and $300,000 depending on the area, the number of potential customers and other factors.

County effort

Clarion County last year was awarded $1,096,125 by the Appalachian Regional Commission to design, build and launch fixed wireless broadband services to unserved and underserved areas.

The award is part of a nearly $46.4 million package supporting 57 projects across 184 coal-impacted counties through ARC’s POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative. POWER targets federal resources to communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power-plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries.

Clarion County is proposing a fixed wireless broadband solution to provide services to unserved and underserved areas in the county.

The county project will use a combination of existing 911 towers and new pole/tower locations to provide services. The towers will be connected through point-to-point microwave connection, with several towers having fiber backhaul to provide long-haul internet connection.

Money matters

Delta Development Group is contracted by the county to find and access grant money for such projects. Rossi said there “is a lot of money coming down” and that Clarion County leaders have been aggressive in pursuing grant money for the effort.

“We want to make sure Clarion County is at the front of the line to get some of that funding,” he said.

“That’s over 90 percent (of the county), and then you will have that 10 percent which providers would cover in other ways,” he said.

Rossi cautioned against setting a firm timeline.

“A big amount of money will come from an infrastructure bill that has five years, and that’s just to get it to the county,” Rossi explained. “Once you get obligated in a federal contract, that contract would take a couple of years to build out.

“The reason I would say it’s premature (to set a firm timeline), is one, because the study is not done, and, two, we don’t know when the states start releasing the money.”

Other factors in the timeline for widely-available broadband service will include obtaining the fiber-optic cable itself and building the distribution network.

More towers

The panelists agreed dependable wireless Internet service is and will remain an important bridge to fiber-optic cable service.

Amato explained the county now owns five towers — one each in Marianne, New Bethlehem, Leeper, St. Petersburg and at the Brady Overlook — and has the intention to build three more towers, although the location of those towers will depend on population and optimum effectiveness.

Amato explained equipment to send and receive data to homes and businesses will be installed on the towers, and equipment to communicate with the towers could be installed at the homes and businesses.

Amato explained the county is seeking grants to help with the costs of the proposed three additional towers. Rossi tempered expectations by reminding many grants require matching local funds.

“We probably won’t be able to provide (wireless) service to everyone, but it is a start,” she said.

Down the line

Broadband is, for the foreseeable future, going to mean and be big business.

Maytum said the Clarion County area, during the next 30 years, will spend $1.5 billion on broadband services.

The panelists agreed, improved broadband service will mean better cellular telephone service and other upgrades to communications and delivered services.

And while technology constantly improves, Maytum said the fiber-optic system planned for Clarion County will still be a viable technology in 10 years.

Clarion County Commissioner Wayne Brosius agreed.

“If we don’t get started now, we won’t be anywhere in 10 years,” he said.