Along Those Lines: What It Takes for Electric Co-ops to Enter the Broadband Space

(USDA Photo By Preston Keres)

More than 200 electric cooperatives have already built or started work to offer broadband either on their own or in a partnership. Now, with tens of billions of dollars in federal and state money being allocated to bring high-speed internet to unserved and underserved areas, the number of co-ops entering broadband could potentially double in the coming years.

This episode is sponsored by Calix.

But as a co-op, what does it take to plan, build and run a broadband business? And what resources are available to help?

In this episode, we’re joined by:

  • Paul Breakman, NRECA’s vice president of cooperative business solutions.
  • Craig Eccher, former CEO of Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative in Pennsylvania and its Tri-County Connections subsidiary, one of the nation’s first co-op-run broadband companies.
  • Bill Gerski, vice president of marketing and sales at Beacon Broadband, a subsidiary of Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative in Oregon.

Listen to the episode below:

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Find out more about NRECA’s podcast. Questions or suggestions? Email us at AlongThoseLines@nreca.coop.