KANSAS CITY, Mo, May 28, 2021 - Conexon Connect, the internet services provider created and managed by rural fiber-optic network design and construction management leader Conexon, has been selected by two west central Missouri electric cooperatives to transform their communities with reliable, affordable broadband service.
Osage Valley Electric Cooperative and Sac Osage Electric Cooperative have signed on with Connect to launch and deploy fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks providing high-speed internet access to 24,000 homes and businesses spanning 17 counties in Missouri. The two co-ops are the closest electric membership cooperatives to Conexon's Kansas City home office.
The Missouri partnerships follow Connect's recently announced agreements with several Georgia electric membership corporations. Once complete, the Connect projects will have delivered high-speed internet access to more than 100,000 rural Americans.
"This partnership presents an exciting opportunity to bring the power of Conexon fiber broadband to our own backyard," Conexon Partner Randy Klindt said. Now, with Connect, we'll be on the ground both building and operating the network for local customers, and watching firsthand as Osage Valley and Sac Osage members experience the life-changing impact of broadband to power their homes, businesses, health care and education."
Together Conexon and the co-ops are investing over $130 million to build the network, which will enable improved electric service and increased reliability through smart grid capabilities in addition to delivering world-class internet access. The Osage Valley Electric project is expected to be completed within five years, with the first customers connected in 4Q 2021.
Osage Electric network is expected to be completed within four years, with the first customers connected in 1Q 2022.
"This endeavor represents a huge opportunity for our rural communities of Osage Valley to move forward with access to the technology that has powered lives in urban areas for years - but has been woefully absent for our members," said Jarrod Campbell, CEO of Osage Valley Electric Cooperative.
"Without question, fiber broadband will be a gamechanger," said Jim Davis, General Manager of Sac Osage Electric Cooperative.
"This endeavor represents a huge opportunity for our rural communities of Osage Valley to move forward with access to the technology that has powered lives in urban areas for years - but has been woefully absent for our members," said Jarrod Campbell, CEO of Osage Valley Electric Cooperative.
Conexon and Connect work exclusively with electric cooperatives with a commitment to serving 100% of co-op members with fiber broadband. With its clients, the company has designed more than 100,000 miles of fiber, builds more than 30,000 miles per year and has connected over 200,000 subscribers.
"We're in a race in rural America," said Conexon Partner Jonathan Chambers, "a race between connection and isolation. Isolation means poorer access to education, health care, and economic opportunity, which in turn means people abandon rural areas. That's the trend of the past several decades. For the first time in our history, rural populations are declining.
Connection through high-speed internet access has the chance to reverse that trend. This mission is no different than the mission each electric co-op took on over 80 years ago. We are thrilled to be working with Sac Osage and Osage Valley electric co-ops to renew their mission and connect their members to world class internet access."
Conexon Connect participated as part of Conexon's Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium, a bidding entity awarded over $1.1 billion through the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction to deliver broadband service at the gigabit (highest service level) tier. The Connect awards encompass dozens of electric co-op territories throughout 10 states. The ambitious initiatives will deliver lightning-fast symmetrical broadband service to millions of Americans - fiber to 100% of rural homes and businesses in all the territories awarded in the RDOF auction. The company's intent is to partner with the electric cooperatives s erving those awarded territories - as in the instance of the Missouri cooperatives, and the Georgia electric membership corporations.
About Conexon Connect
Conexon Connect is the internet services provider (ISP) arm of rural fiber broadband design and construction management leader Conexon. The subsidiary was formed to operate and manage cooperative- and investor-owned fiber-to-the-home networks. Connect leverages Conexon's decades of co-op operations, fiber-optic design and construction, telecommunications, federal and state lobbying and customer experience management expertise to successfully launch and operate projects. The Connect approach is to work exclusively with electric cooperatives to launch and deploy high-speed fiber-optic networks - the gold standard of communications transmission - enabling them to offer world-class fiber broadband to 100% of their members.
