August 20, 2010
Statement by Fred Pilot, president, Camino Fiber Network Cooperative, on award of $46.6 million stimulus grant to the Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project
The Camino Fiber Network Cooperative (CFNC) congratulates the Central Valley Independent Network (CVIN) on its successful application for $46.6 million in telecommunications infrastructure grant funding by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
The award is funded by the NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, formed to disburse funding for advanced telecom infrastructure expansion appropriated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
CVIN will deploy 1,371-mile fiber optic backbone network through 18 Central Valley counties including along Highway 49 in El Dorado County. In addition to serving various public entities, the open access network could potentially serve 1.5 million households and 160,000 businesses, according to CVIN.
This important project could aid the deployment of community open access fiber networks such as planned by the Camino Fiber Network Cooperative (CFNC) by providing essential middle mile connectivity to the Internet backbone.
A consumer owned telecom cooperative, CFNC’s goal is to bring fiber connections to unserved and underserved central El Dorado County premises with the goal of “no home left behind.”
CFNC thanks the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors for its support of CVIN’s application for the federal funding and recognizes the efforts of El Dorado County Economic Development Coordinator Sam Driggers and Placerville resident Carol Anne Ogdin in gaining the board’s support.
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