VTel Wireless Open World (WOW) Project Update

A progress report on Vermontel's plans to build a state of the art 4G/LTE high speed, wireless broadband network in Vermont and to extend a fiber to every home and business in VTel’s territory in southern Vermont.

http://vermontel.com/news/110

VTel Wireless Open World (WOW) Project Update
Thursday, 23 June 2011 15:24

(Springfield, Vermont) -- June 23, 2011 – VTel continues to be honored and humbled by the federal stimulus funding we were awarded in 2010 to build a state of the art 4G/LTE high speed, wireless broadband network in Vermont and to extend a fiber to every home and business in VTel’s territory in southern Vermont.

We are excited to update the public today on several aspects of these exciting projects. Two of the best firms in America are working with us to implement Wireless Open World (WOW), and we are delighted to report that VTel is on schedule for broadband expansion in Vermont’s unserved and underserved areas.

WOW Fiber Update:

Currently we have over 50 engineers and contractors in the field on a daily basis visiting every single home and business in our territory to survey and stake each premise. After this stage is complete, the network design will be implemented in a gradual progression throughout each of VTel’s 14 telephone exchanges in southern Vermont.

Construction on the fiber network will start next month, and ramp up quickly as summer progresses. We’ll soon be awarding our first construction project in the North Springfield exchange, with Wallingford coming soon.

A significant part of the fiber optic migration will take place in 2011 and will continue into 2012. As planned, the project will be completed by 2013. At the end of the project, all of VTel’s copper telephone network will be transitioned to the latest fiber optic technology.

WOW Wireless 4G / LTE Update:

For our Wireless 4G / LTE network, the engineering and review process is also underway, and we have teams of experts working around the clock on network design, site identification, and acquisition.

The earliest sites are expected to be in operation by the end of 2011, with locations determined by local and state regulatory processes. As planned, the project will continue into 2012 and will be completed in 2013.

When the WOW 4G/LTE broadband network is available in new communities, we plan to send an announcement to homes 30 days prior, to inform people on how to utilize new services, which will be available with an introductory rate starting at $10.00 and ranging up to $35.00.

Rural Broadband Farm Forum Update:

VTel’s Rural Broadband Farm Forums launched in February, 2011 and are growing exponentially every week. Our unique approach to rural broadband adoption is showing positive results among the hundreds of people we have reached thus far. In addition to implementing a digital literacy campaign in our territory, we are subsidizing Net-Books, making computer home ownership a reality for people. VTel’s long term plan for rural internet adoption is one that addresses all barriers to adoption ranging from the availability of network to digital literacy classes.

If you would like to learn more about Wireless Open World or VTel Rural Broadband Farm Forums, please contact Tess Gauthier at: tgauthier@vermontel.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .