January 14, 2021-PRVEPA to launch fiber to the home network
Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association to launch fiber-to-the-home network, deliver world-class broadband speeds and capabilities to 51,000 South Central Mississippi homes and businesses
Columbia, MS, 1/14/21 – Pearl River Valley EPA is launching a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network to serve 100% of the 51,000 members in its service territory with world-class broadband speed and capabilities, along with high-quality phone service.
Pearl River Valley EPA’s 5-year deployment will encompass 4700 miles of fiber and the 12 counties served by the co-op. Fiber construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2021 with the first members connected by third quarter of 2021. The broadband network will deliver symmetrical gigabit internet capabilities – among the fastest and most robust in the nation – along with voice services. Services will be offered through PearlComm, a subsidiary of Pearl River Valley EPA.
“For decades, the mission of our cooperative has been to make lives and communities better through taking care of our members with high-quality, affordable services,” Matthew Ware, general manager said. “Today the Board and staff of Pearl River Valley EPA are re-committing to that, by delivering world-class high-speed internet and voice services and bringing the economic, educational and growth benefits of broadband to our communities.”
The PearlComm fiber network will also bolster the co-op’s electrical infrastructure with smart grid capabilities that will deliver benefits such as improved power outage response times, better load balancing, and more efficient electricity delivery.
Pearl River Valley EPA is partnering with rural fiber-optic network design and construction management leader Conexon to design, launch and build the broadband network. Conexon works exclusively with electric cooperatives to deploy fiber to the home throughout rural America and has, to date, assisted more than 160 cooperatives in evaluating, constructing or operating broadband networks.
Pearl River Valley Electric is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative that distributes electricity to more than 51,000 members in 12-counties in central and south Mississippi. It is headquartered in Columbia and has offices in Hattiesburg, Purvis and Wiggins.
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