December 3, 2020 [Port Orford, OR]: — The Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CCEC) Board of Directors voted Monday, November 30, 2020, to accept a federal grant in support of Beacon Broadband. The pivotal decision to accept the grant was a major milestone for Beacon Broadband and cleared the way to bring high-speed internet to the south coast of Oregon.
John Herzog, CCEC Board President, said, “We have an amazing opportunity to build a fiber broadband network to all of our co-op members who want it.  More than two years of research and planning have paid off.  We now have the grant funding to make it work!”

The vote to accept funding and move forward with the broadband project is our commitment to bridge the “digital divide” for the rural south coast region where access to high-speed broadband internet is limited. About 20% of households in the CCEC service territory can only receive inadequate satellite or DSL internet services. Beacon Broadband will offer fiber to the premises broadband experience to those looking for increased speeds along with the same friendly customer service you expect from CCEC.  

Very fast fiber broadband connectivity will advance digital opportunities like telemedicine, remote telecommuting, and distance learning in rural Coos and Curry counties.  

Beacon Broadband’s project will make high-speed fiber broadband service available to all of CCEC’s 14,600 members who want the service. Where it makes economic sense, Beacon Broadband will also begin serving customers outside of the CCEC service territory. 

Planning and design of the fiber network are in progress in preparation for construction and deployment. Using a rolling design-construct process, Beacon Broadband plans to light up the first customers by mid-2021 and have the entire network built by 2025.

Visit www.ccec.coop/beacon-broadband to learn more and pre-register or sign up for email notifications about the progress.