Mississippi County Electric Cooperative deploys FTTH in Arkansas with Conexon

March 30, 2020

The co-op expects to begin delivering services via its MCEC Fiber subsidiary by the middle of this year.

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Mississippi County Electric Cooperative (MCEC), which operates in Arkansas, has launched a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network deployment initiative. The co-op expects to begin delivering services via its MCEC Fiber subsidiary by the middle of this year. Conexon, which specializes in the support of co-op broadband rollouts, says it has won a contract from MCEC for a range of FTTH project management services, which include network design, engineering, construction management, and customer technical support.

The FTTH initiative will see the installation of 600 miles of fiber over the course of five years. MCEC plans to offer phone and gigabit internet services. The co-op expects to use the fiber infrastructure to improve power delivery, including the addition of such smart grid capabilities as improved power outage response times, better load balancing, and more efficient electricity delivery, among other benefits.

"We have long seen the need of our members and communities for reliable and fast internet service, given that it has become a necessity in many parts of life," MCEC President and CEO Brad Harrison said. "This network is important for our community, and Conexon opened our eyes to the fact that not only could we provide the service, but we could offer a gold-plated solution to our members. We will be relying heavily on the Conexon team for its expertise and support as we deploy our network."

It appears the FTTH deployment is continuing, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. "At a time of uncertainty, one thing is certain: The world is interconnected in many ways, and the future of information, education, work, healthcare, shopping, social connection and entertainment are all tied to internet access," Conexon Partner Jonathan Chambers said. "We're proud to be part of MCEC's plans to bring world-class broadband to its members and the broader community. While much of the world has hit the pause button, MCEC is moving forward."

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

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