FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 23, 2010
Contact: Fred Pilot
President
Camino Fiber Network Cooperative
fpilot@caminofiber.net
Geoff Brim
Vice President and Treasurer
Camino Fiber Network Cooperative
geoff@caminofiber.net
The Camino Fiber Network Cooperative (CFNC), a telecommunications consumer cooperative corporation, seeks volunteers to help it fulfill its mission of providing modern Internet protocol-based telecommunications services in central El Dorado County utilizing fiber optic to the premises (FTTP) telecommunications infrastructure.
Retirees with business and telecommunications industry experience are especially encouraged to lend their knowledge and skills to this vital infrastructure project by serving as volunteer directors.
The coop also needs volunteer website design assistance.
The coop is currently conducting a survey of area residents and small business owners on their satisfaction with existing telecom services and their current and future needs.
The survey is being conducted online and is available at the CFNC Web site (http://www.caminofiber.net) by clicking on “CFNC Broadband Survey.”
In the coming months, CFNC will seek technical assistance funding to cover the cost of retaining consultants for network engineering and business planning of the project’s initial build out phase.
CFNC’s review of California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) data found 11 El Dorado County census tracts encompassing Placerville and surrounding communities comprising more than 23,000 premises are underserved for broadband Internet access under CPUC and federal guidelines.
Broadband access falls sharply beyond Placerville city limits with unincorporated areas of the county continuing to lack adequate access.
According to the Federal Communications Commission, seven million U.S. homes are located outside cable company footprints or unable to subscribe to DSL due to distance limitations.
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