FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 20, 2010
Contact: Fred Pilot
fpilot@caminofiber.net
The Camino Fiber Network Cooperative (CFNC), a recently formed telecommunications cooperative, is conducting a consumer survey in support of its mission to provide advanced, Internet protocol-based telecommunications services in El Dorado County.
The online survey will gather detailed information on existing and desired telecommunications services and their utilization.
The survey, which requires less than 10 minutes to complete, is accessible at the CFNC Web site (http://www.caminofiber.net) by clicking on “CFNC Broadband Survey.”
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.
The FCC’s National Broadband Plan released March 16 established a goal of connecting 100 million households to affordable 100-megabits-per-second service to spur economic activity and create jobs.
To help achieve that goal, CFNC plans to construct fiber optic-based telecommunications infrastructure offering a menu of services including high speed Internet, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and high definition video and teleconferencing.
“Over the past decade, residents and small business owners in El Dorado County have lacked decent options for their telecommunications needs,” said Fred Pilot, CFNC founder and president. “The Camino Fiber Network Cooperative offers a much needed alternative business model to address this vital infrastructure issue.”