Arrowhead Electric Coop does a great job of keeping folks informed and engaged in their fiber network deployment through their website and through Facebook. It seems as if every Monday I get an update on where the construction crews will be that week and what they are doing.
Here’s the update for this week…
Broadband Construction Crew Locations. 9/10/12 (Monday).
Underground crews: SW & NW sides of Pike Lake, Lutsen Resort, South Shore Devil Track, drops along Caribou Trail, Birch Drive and Pinetree Drive.
Aerial crews: Some crews not working. Aerial drops working alongside Highway 61 between Lutsen & Tofte.
As an addition, this week they are looking for customers to help refocus their branding with a Cooperative Name and Logo Contest. They are looking for a new image that will keep up with their growing mission…
With growth of the Coop. a new name and logo is needed that reflects the Coop. and all of the services we provide our members. We are seeking your ideas as we look to re-name and re-brand your Coop.
Again, it’s fun for me to see the progress from a distance – but I also think it’s wonderful marketing for the area. A great way to let folks who are interested in broadband know what’s happening and with any luck enough updates to even get the message to folks who might not be on the leading edge of wanting upgrades – but who could caught up on the excitement. Getting the broadband range of customers will make a difference to a business plan!
It’s also fun to see the progress close up; we live on Birch Drive, and expect to get a drop line this week; conduit is already in. We’ve had fun cheering on the crews. Most of the crew members are from elsewhere, but yesterday I encountered a local working for a subcontractor, very good to see those dollars staying here. There is a lot of excitement as folks share stories of the crews working in their neighborhoods. Crews seem really to enjoy the banter with residents (apparently they are not so well-greeted in some curmudgeonly areas; hard to fathom, that).
Jim – I thought of you as I read the story! I thought you’d have an eagle eye out on the progress.