Powerline Telco to Drive Fast Internet Service in Florida’s Heartland

Today the Florida Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative (FHREDI) is announcing its plans to bring broadband Internet services to its communities in South Central Florida. This is part of a growing trend throughout Florida and in other parts of the country where rural communities left behind by DSL and cable broadband offerings are commissioning alternatives for bringing fast Internet to their communities.

[ClickPress, Mon Oct 16 2006] Powerline Telco (PLT), which offers turnkey solutions to communities left behind in the nation’s migration to Broadband, today announced that the Florida Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative (FHREDI) has awarded PLT a contract to evaluate broadband feasibility in the six counties and four cities that comprise the Rural Area of Critical Economic Concern (RACEC). The study will be funded by a $110,000 grant awarded to FHREDI by Governor Jeb Bush in August, earmarked for examining the economic impact of reliable broadband Internet access in South Central Florida.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United States ranks twelfth on a list of 30 countries in access to broadband services. Although almost 50M US consumers have access to fast Internet services, rural communities are often located outside the economic reach of DSL and cable Internet access. Powerline Telco will be working with FHREDI to study the feasibility, economic impact and technology considerations to create the business case and service rollout for fast Internet in the counties of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee and the cities of Belle Glade, Immokalee, Pahokee and South Bay.

“Florida’s Heartland REDI, is a Regional Economic Development agency in South Central Florida that touts a Rural Lifestyle with access to a skilled workforce, global transportation routes, and a strong public-private partnership,” said Lynn Topel, Executive Director of FHREDI. “Companies such as U.S. Sugar Corp., Georgia-Pacific, Southern Garden Citrus Processing and Wal-Mart Distribution Center already call our communities home. We recognize the importance of Broadband Internet access to expand our business base. Powerline Telco brings a unique approach and clear expertise that will assist an incoming rural ISP to plan, build and manage the successful Internet services that will further drive economic development in the region.”

Powerline Telco is beginning the broadband feasibility study immediately. Future phases of the project will include:

Offering a detailed business case and project plan for the implementation of fast Internet services in the region
Preparing a detailed planning budget for broadband deployment
Providing detailed descriptions of the resources, support and job descriptions for key positions needed to facilitate the project
Assisting with the community, governmental and business outreach necessary to make the project a success

“With low population density communities located within 80 percent of the counties in the U.S., there is a real need for effective broadband strategies that bring these services to those not reached by traditional DSL and cable Internet offerings,” said Subodh Nayar, the rural services practice manager at Powerline Telco. “With an attractive business climate and growing population, Florida’s Heartland is a prime example of the type of community best served by a Rural ISP. We are thrilled to be working with FHREDI to plan the introduction of affordable, accessible broadband Internet services.”

Powerline Telco’s Lean Build Planning Methodology™ is designed to balance the requirements for meeting demand for service with aggressive capital and operating expense management. PLT has used this approach with a number of economic development agencies, power cooperatives and government agencies to plan and deliver fast Internet services to communities not served by traditional broadband providers. Most recently, the company undertook a study focused on eight communities in Northwest Florida, for Opportunity Florida, a public-private partnership focused on economic development in the Florida Panhandle.

According to Gary Clark, Chairman, Opportunity Florida Executive Board, “PLT approached the project from a true Return on Investment perspective, demonstrating both that a rural ISP could offer cost-effective high-speed Internet access, and what the community would need to do to make the deployment a success. One of the greatest concerns in bringing these services to rural communities remains the ultimate cost to consumers. The study undertaken by PLT is helping us to develop services that will be accessible to our constituents – the residents and businesses in Florida who will be most eager to take advantage of the benefits of affordable high-speed Internet.”



About Powerline Telco

Based in Fairfax, Virginia, Powerline Telco is a systems integrator that plans, builds and launches Rural Internet Service Providers (RISPs). Founded by veterans of the telecommunications and energy industries, PLT’s staff and consultants have specific experience launching telephony and broadband services in not only the U.S., but also in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Committed to “making the world your neighbor,” PLT is currently working in several States with economic development agencies and rural electric cooperatives to provide affordable fast Internet access to businesses, homes, schools, churches, farms, and other establishments. For more information, please visit Powerline Telco on the web at www.powerlinetelco.net.



About FHREDI

Florida’s Heartland encompasses six South Central Florida Counties, has a land area of 5,000 square miles with a population of 250,000 living in 24 communities. Although each community is unique, broad-based support for economic progress is a constant, unifying theme. Florida's Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative (FHREDI) provides regional economic development coordination to businesses interested in expanding or relocating to the area. Working with local partners within the region, as well as Enterprise Florida, Workforce Florida, Inc. and the Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, FHREDI strives to make Florida’s Heartland an attractive place to do business, through assistance with site selection, incentives and workforce training assistance, among other services. For more information, please visit FHREDI on the web at www.fhredi.com.

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