The Pine City Pioneer reports…

East Central Energy is continuing its over $300 million ECE Fiber broadband internet buildout as construction nears completion in northern Pine County across a swath spanning east of Hinckley to the Wisconsin border.

Broadband Manager Dennis Rice shared, “Multiple contracted crews have been actively working throughout the area. Mainline fiber construction follows ECE’s existing overhead and underground power lines, with work scheduled Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.”

Residents and businesses in Pine County are encouraged to explore plans, pricing, and add-ons, then sign up for service at ecefiber.com.

The cooperative has seen significant growth in all areas of the project, with the most visible progress being member connections. In January 2024, the cooperative had 12 members connected to ECE Fiber. Since then, over 4,000 additional connections have been made, with more being added every week.