The Henryetta Chamber of Commerce is backing the Ecolink Fiber Broadband project.
That support was given Monday following a short presentation by Billie Been who heads up the Ecolink project.
She told board members Ecolink was formed as part of an East Central Rural Electric (ECRC) plan to update their grid. It is a five year project which will eventually provide fiber broadband Internet service to all 35,000 REC members.
Been said the project was broken down into five phases and is currently in phase four. The electric cooperative serves residents in Okmulgee County as well as parts of Creek, Okfuskee, McIntosh, Wagoner and Tulsa counties.
Funded in part with American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds and supplies high-speed Internet services to customers.
She explained the government rates high-speed service as 25 megabytes per second (Mbps) upload and three Mbps download speed.
“Our basic package is $100 mbps up and downloads for $55 a month,” Been said. The second of three plans, 150 Mbps up and download speed is $75 a month followed by a one gigabyte package for $85 monthly.
Been said a number of communities within the ECREC service area have shown an interest in receiving the broadband capability as well. “Today we have started with Oktaha. They have shown a lot of interest and it looks like we are going to do most of the cities in the county.”
Been was asking for a letter of support from the chamber that would provide more of a priority for Henryetta to receive the service.
If the fiber broadband was brought to Henryetta, it would be available to local residents even though they are not members of East Central Electric.
“There has been a lot of support in the Henryetta area. We have received a number of phone calls.”
Chamber board members approved writing a letter of support to Ecolink that would help when Been plans the various phases of construction.
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