May 31, 2024
Community Concerns About Fiber Project
We appreciate the active interest and concern many of you have expressed regarding the fiber project in your community. We understand that the decision to go with aerial fiber in some areas, as opposed to a buried fiber solution, has raised several questions and even some apprehensions. We would like to address these concerns and provide some clarity on the reasons behind this decision, as well as the measures we needed to take to ensure the project could move forward.
Initially, our plan was to bury as much of the fiber as possible. We completed our engineering accordingly. However, after receiving the bids, we found that the cost of buried fiber in the designated areas increased the overall project cost significantly making it untenable. This increase was due not only to rising costs from the pandemic supply and demand issues but also because of the challenging terrain, type of soil, and the amount of rock in the area.
Funded primarily by the USDA, the grant for this project is $3 million, with Pioneer investing $700,000. We faced a tough decision: walk away from the grant opportunity altogether or find ways to reduce costs. Knowing the importance of affordable high-speed internet to the community and Pioneer, we went back to the drawing board.
To manage costs, we decided to utilize existing poles in high-cost, rocky areas to place the fiber aerially. By resubmitting our engineering plans and collaborating with the contractor, we were able to reduce the project costs. However, even with these adjustments, the project would cost $1 million more than Pioneer’s initial commitment.
The Community Connect fiber project, scheduled for completion by October 2024, will provide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) to 48 residents and establish 41 miles of fiber backbone. This backbone is crucial to be able to bring FTTH to the rest of the community through the ReConnect 4 grant. Unfortunately, the ReConnect 4 project is currently undergoing an environmental review process with RUS, which will take some time. This means the ReConnect 4 project will not begin immediately, and we do not have an estimated construction date. We ask for patience as we work to bring FTTH to the entire community. When we get the approved environmental review approved, we’ll be sure to keep the community updated.
We are committed to working closely with the community to address any specific concerns you may have. Our team is available to answer any questions you may have, and we will ensure that the project is as smooth as possible.
We value your feedback and are dedicated to making this project a success for everyone. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any further questions or concerns: [email protected] or call our team at 1-888-929-1014. Your input is crucial in helping us achieve our goal of providing high-quality, reliable internet service to our community.
Thank you for your understanding.
April 2, 2024
It is time to celebrate! The Pioneer Community Connect grant Fiber project areas will see an increase in activity soon!
We are excited to share that the Community Connect grant project is back on track, and in the coming weeks (if not sooner), you will start seeing our construction partners, MRL and FiberTel, hitting the ground running.
If you’re part of the ReConnect 4 project, please look for updates coming soon.
Rest assured; our team is just getting things started to serve you better. While we wish it was quick and easy, building a brand-new network takes time and well a little patience. We promise, your Fiber internet service will be worth the wait, and we appreciate your continued support as we work to bring Fiber to you.
January 10, 2024
Although you may not be seeing boots on the ground right now, please be assured our team is actively working behind the scenes for this fiber project. We are still waiting on the necessary permits and approval from RUS in order to resume the project. Unfortunately, these processes are taking longer than anticipated. Once we obtain the required permits and approvals, our contractors will be back on the project as quickly as possible.
December 8, 2023
We wanted to take a moment to update you on the progress of our ongoing fiber optic project in the Triangle Lake/Deadwood area. Despite our commitment to meeting project timelines, we’ve encountered some unforeseen challenges along the way. Most recently, we’ve experienced delays caused by unexpected permitting requirements and awaiting signed approval on certain documents from the U.S. Department of Agriculture RUS department.
Please know that we’re actively working to maintain the project’s momentum despite these hurdles. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this delay and sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding.
December 16, 2021
Pioneer Connect is proud to announce it has been awarded a $3 million USDA Rural Development Community Connect grant to bring Fiber-to-the-Home to a portion of the Triangle Lake area, boosting internet speeds for a key rural pocket of the Cooperative’s service area. Pioneer will contribute more than $700,000 to make the build a reality.
This announcement follows on the heels of Pioneer Connect’s summer 2021 announcement to build Fiber-to-the-Home to Philomath. The Cooperative has a long-term strategic plan to replace its copper network with Fiber-to-the-Home across its 1,300 square-mile serving area. The Community Connect program helps rural communities extend access where broadband service is least likely to be commercially available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for our members.
Residents in the build will benefit from Pioneer building a state-of-the-art, all-fiber network to deliver speeds up to 1 GIG. This means the rural community will have access to big-city speeds and upgradeable to meet future bandwidth needs in the decades to come.
“We’re thrilled to be expanding our Fiber-to-the-Home network with the help of this grant, and it’s an exciting time for rural communities,” said Jim Rennard, General Manager. “The Cooperative has applied for additional funding in the Triangle Lake/Deadwood/Horton/Blachly area to provide even more expansion of our fiber network to ensure areas outside of this project will also have 1 GIG speeds.
“We’re dedicating significant time and resources to pursue additional grant funding in 2022 with the latest announcements at the Federal and State level.”
The new Fiber network spanning approximately 40 miles will allow the Triangle Lake Charter School to move forward with its long-term goal of a community facility, which will eventually bring direct services, such as mental health counseling, career counseling and additional distance learning opportunities, to the community.
“This Fiber-to-the-Home announcement is a game-changer for our community,” Adam Watkins, Blachly School District Superintendent, said. “We’re excited to be partnering with the team at Pioneer to enhance broadband speeds to our community and families. Not only will this project change the way our community stays connected, but it will also shape our growth as a district for years to come.”
A construction date has not yet been set yet, as Pioneer coordinates finalizing the grant and other documentation with the USDA. Pioneer will notify customers who are part of this build before construction begins in the area. Residents can show their fiber interest by submitting their information and address at fiber.pioneer.net.
With speeds up to 1 GIG, residents will experience faster downloads, enhanced video streaming, real-time gaming, and virtually unlimited speeds for work-from-home, telehealth, and distance learning. Fiber-to-the-Home, coupled with Pioneer’s state-of-the-art whole-home Wi-Fi 6 product, Premium Wi-Fi, will provide uninterrupted bandwidth in homes and businesses, enabling a seamless experience for multiple devices simultaneously.
About Pioneer Connect
Pioneer Connect is a broadband partner providing services to connect your life—delivering phone, internet, and more to our neighbors from the Willamette Valley to the Pacific Ocean. For over 70 years, Pioneer has gone the extra mile to make sure each member of our 1,300 square mile service area has the technology they need; providing services to rural homes, businesses, K-12 schools and colleges. Pioneer Connect has built a 700-mile fiber optic network providing the communities with essential phone services and the latest in fast and reliable internet technology. We are proud to be Pioneers for you, our community.