Central High

PROJECT PURPOSE

Provide reliable, affordable rural internet access to all Central High residents. Many residents have limited or no access to broadband for their businesses or in many cases their children who are students at Central High School. Our Hybrid Broadband Project would blanket all of Central High with internet from 3 strategically located towers. In addition to these towers, residents living between the towers would also have the opportunity to choose fiber optic broadband. This will provide broadband speeds of up to 1 gigabyte download and 100 megabyte upload to those choosing fiber optic while residents choosing towers would have 100 megabyte download with 25 megabyte upload.

EVIDENCE

Dr. Kevin Dyes, Superintendent of Central High Schools; https://www.central.k12.ok.us/ U.S. Census Data; https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US4013135 JJ Francais, Hillary Communications; https://hillcom.net/ Central High Town Council Google Earth view of Hybrid Project Emergency Broadband Benefit; https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Currently 60% of our 400 Central High students have no access to internet for homework or virtual classes. This is a problem for two reasons. The first reason for this limited access is economic. 46% of our students receive free or reduced school meals. They cannot afford what internet is available. Yet the main reason is that current broadband providers do not have their towers located in areas so that all of Central High has access to affordable internet. There are 521 homes in Central High with 1181 residents. Most of these homes have inconsistent access to broadband through wireless towers. Current broadband providers use towers that are overloaded with more customers than they have bandwith to serve their customers. This limited access is well below the US Government?s minimum goal of 100 megabytes download and 25 megabytes upload. Even our Central High school teachers don?t all have access to consistent and fast enough internet in order to conduct online classes using Google Classroom. The pandemic exacerbated this problem affecting both teachers and students in all school classes. Plus Letitia Baptist Church, Bethel Methodist Church, Denton Baptist Church and Central Baptist Church would be able to stream live services.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

We will measure these completion points: Project completion is 8 months. A backhaul from Highway 7 to Central High will provide fiber optic to 3 towers. These towers will cover 52.9 square miles. Residents living between towers will have the option of fiber optic access. Those living outside the towers will have wireless access. Over 1181 residents in 521 homes in Central High will have access to affordable internet for multiple programs beginning at less than $60 per month. 60% of Central High Students currently meeting Affordable Connectivity Program guidelines will receive $30 a month to help offset internet bills.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding