Oklahoma Fiber, LLC (dba OEC Fiber)

PROJECT PURPOSE

Requested funding will enable OEC Fiber to build to residents in Cleveland County that still lack access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet services. The COVID-19 pandemic gives strong evidence that reliable high-speed internet connectivity is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. It is estimated that one in four Oklahoman children does not have access to broadband at home. The lack of broadband creates social and economic hardship and drives businesses away from a community. Given these facts, the importance of building broadband infrastructure in Oklahoma cannot be overstated. Our request is supported by all three Cleveland County commissioners, the City of Norman city manager, the City of Noble city manager, the City of Lexington mayor, as well as the residents of Cleveland County.

EVIDENCE

None

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Nationally, 94% of Americans have access to at least 25 Mbps of download speed and 3 Mbps of upload speed. In Oklahoma, only 79% of residents have access to these speeds, which do not meet the minimum speed requirements of today?s most common applications. It is estimated that one in four Oklahoman children does not have access to broadband at home. Rural Oklahomans, including those living in rural Cleveland County, have been disproportionately affected by the lack of access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even those living closer to suburban areas of Cleveland County have shared their many frustrations with below-par upload speeds and expensive, data-capped internet offerings from existing providers in the area. Both situations result in added difficulty and stress for the entire family during the pandemic. For these Cleveland County residents without access to affordable, reliable broadband, each day of this pandemic has been a day without equity in access to online learning, remote work, tele-health, mental health and support services, government resources, civic engagement, and much more.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Oklahoma Fiber, LLC will demonstrate network and project viability by demonstrating the following: ? Ability to offer a minimum of 100/100 Mbps service to 100% of the locations in the areas funded by the project ? System uptime demonstrating 99% availability ? Project summary of progress using maps and overview ? 100% fiber-optic network, providing future-proof technology to 100% of the locations in the areas funded by the project ? Project support letters and satisfied customer letters Oklahoma Fiber, LLC is confident that current reporting systems already in place within the business will be able to provide any documentation required to measure project performance.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma