Published monthly by Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc.
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JANUARY 2021
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WATTS WATTS INSIDE >> page 2
CHEC announces Youth Tour contest for high school juniors >> page 3
More Cookson Hills Connect FAQs >> page 4
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month
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Answering your questions about Cookson Hills Connect What is Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative building? Our electric cooperative is building a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network – the gold standard of communications transmission – over its existing electric distribution infrastructure that will take fiber directly into homes and businesses and deliver reliable, high-speed internet services. What is the timeframe and scope of the build-out? This three-year FTTH buildout, encompassing 2,500 miles of fiber, will ultimately reach 100% of Cookson Hills Electric members. The buildout will provide access to broadband benefits for over 18,000 rural Oklahoma homes and businesses. When will construction begin? Planning has been under way for some time as Cookson Hills Electric explored the possibility of delivering high-speed internet to our members. We are in the design/pre-construction
phase and will update once we announce our initial build areas. Where will the internet service be offered? The buildout will be completed in phases, and eventually, it will reach all of our 14,000+ members. We will announce our phases/locations as they are decided. How do I know if I am in the initial service area? We will soon be launching a preregistration tool that allows members to enter their electric account number and home or business address to express their interest. Meanwhile, please email us at fiber@ cooksonhills.com with your account number and address to express your interest in service. Will my electric bill increase to pay for the FTTH network? No. Electric rates will not be raised to subsidize the buildout or deployment. More FAQs on pages 3 and 4
Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. Headquarters Office PO Box 539 • 1002 E. Main Stigler, OK 74462 800-328-2368 Branch Office PO Box 587 • 1800 KOA/Power Drive Sallisaw, OK 74955 918-775-2211 Pay-by-Phone: 1-888-678-1937 www.cooksonhills.com Alternate Emergency Only: 918-552-0016
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Joe Ogle, President Rocky Woods, Sr., Vice President Ronnie Pevehouse, Sec/Treasurer Dan Callahan, Trustee John Dillard, Trustee Dart Drummonds, Trustee Mike Rose, Trustee
District 6 District 1 District 7 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5
STAFF Juli Orme, General Manager Chris Morris, Chief Financial Officer Jason Fontaine, Director of Engineering Mark Blaylock, Director of Operations — Stigler Marty Huff, Director of Operations — Sallisaw Ellen Mattison, Manager of Accounting Services Kristie Cash, Manager of Office Services
Russell V. Barber, General Counsel Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. welcomes members to submit photos, and articles which will be subject to editing. Cookson Hills reserves the right to publish or modify any article. Companies and individuals featured in the Hot Watts newsletter do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or view of Cookson Hills.
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Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you find your account number hidden in this issue of the Hot Watts, you’ll receive a $25 credit on your electric bill.
2 | January 2021
CHEC announces Youth Tour contest for high school juniors For many years Cookson Hills Electric has sent four high school juniors from its service area on an unforgettable, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. as part of the annual Youth Tour scholarship program. With the health of our students and sponsors being our top priority, the decision was made to cancel the trip for 2021 as we continue to take precautionary steps to combat the global pandemic. While CHEC is disappointed this year’s winners are unable to make the trip, we are excited to announce our continued financial support for the scholarship winners. [2953901] To enter the Youth Tour contest, students must submit an essay on a specific topic which will be identified in the essay application packet. Essay application packets will be available at participating partner schools within the CHEC service territory, as well as on our website at www.cooksonhills.com. Essays are due by 5 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. Essays can be mailed to Cookson Hills, Attn: Brad Martin, P.O. Box 539, Stigler, OK, 74462 or dropped off at either the Stigler or Sallisaw office locations during normal business hours. Finalists will be selected and interviewed by a panel of judges prior to the final announcement of winners. Winners are then invited to a banquet where they will present their essay before CHEC staff, board and special guests. Social distancing and other precautions will be in place. If you have any questions about Youth Tour, please contact Brad Martin by calling 800-328-2368 or via email at bmartin@cooksonhills.com.
THE TECHNOLOGY What is a fiber-optic network? Fiber-optic systems are made up of tiny strands of glass that carry data using light waves, resulting in much faster internet speeds and better reliability than traditional copper lines. Most internet providers use fiber in their systems but use copper lines for the final connections to the home, resulting in slower speeds. Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative and fellow cooperatives believe FTTH is the best, most sustainable communications choice. With our FTTH service, we offer “symmetrical” speeds, meaning you’ll enjoy the same high speeds whether uploading or downloading. What makes fiber so special? A fiber-optic network sends and receives data at the speed of light. In addition to super-fast transmission speeds, a fiber optic network can carry an extremely high amount of data. Fiber is also more reliable than other networks, because it’s less susceptible to interference and damage from lightning and other acts of nature. What does the term “broadband” mean? Broadband commonly refers to high-speed internet access that is always on and faster than traditional dial-up access. Broadband fiber-optic networks can deliver voice, data, video and email services over the internet.
NEXT STEPS How will I get FTTH services through the co-op? Cookson Hills Electric is
creating a subsidiary, Cookson Hills Connect,which will offer fiber internet and telephone services to members within the Cookson Hills Electricservice territory. The subsidiary is a separate company and will be managed separately from the electric cooperative. While Cookson Hills Electric will manage its electric grid to provide electricity across our service territory, members will get their broadband services through Cookson Hills Connect. Members will be billed separately for their electric service and their broadband service. What internet packages will be available? Cookson Hills Electric will offer a package with 100 megabits (Mbps) per second upload and download speeds (symmetrical service) for $54.90/month. We also will offer a package with a maximum of 1,000 Mbps (1 gigabit) per second upload and download speeds for $84.90/ month. Managed Wi-Fi service, which enables better performance and user experience with in-home equipment, is included in each member’s package. With managed Wi-Fi, subscribers will not have to buy equipment (i.e. modem) or pay for additional technical support. Can I preregister for the internet service? Yes. Potential subscribers are encouraged to preregister for services through the preregistration tool. Meanwhile feel free to send us an email at fiber@ cooksonhills.com and let us know if you are interested. Are there data caps with this service?
There are no data caps or bandwidth throttling (intentional slowing or speeding of internet service) with this service. Will voice and TV services be available immediately? Cookson Hills Connect will eventually offer voice (VoIP) in addition to broadband internet service. There are no current shortterm plans to offer TV service, however, Cookson Hills Connect’s high-speed internet service will enable seamless, enhanced streaming TV performance. How much will the internet service cost? Cookson Hills Connect will offer a package with 100 megabits (Mbps) per second upload and download speeds (symmetrical service) for $54.90/month. We also will offer a package with a maximum of 1,000 Mbps (1 gigabit) per second upload and download speeds for $84.90/ month. Managed Wi-Fi service, which enables better performance and user experience with inhome equipment, is included in each member’s package. Unlike many companies, Cookson Hills Connect won’t use introductory promotional pricing and then increase the service price at the end of the contract/promo. We will not implement sudden or surprise rate increases. Will a contract be required? No. We will not require a contract. Unlike many companies, Cookson Hills Connect won’t use introductory promotional pricing and then increase the service price at the end of the contract/promo. We will not implement sudden or surprise rate increases. Continued on page 4 >>
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What is the earliest date that internet services can be installed in my home? We will update members on the construction progress as we get closer, and once our preregistration tool is available, we will encourage potential subscribers to preregister. What is the installation process? Once you sign up for service, fiber installation is fairly simple and non-invasive. We pull fiber from our main lines and follow power lines to attach the fiber to your home or business. The fiber will be hung or buried underground. Next, we attach the fiber line to a box near your electric meter where the home/ business inside wiring connects with the outside wiring. Finally, the fiber is connected to a fiber jack inside your home or office, where it’s plugged into the modem we provide. In essence, the construction crews pulling and hanging the fiber and taking it to your house’s outside wiring are preparing the network to go live once construction in the area is complete. One of our member relations representatives will contact you to schedule an appointment for an in-home installer to finalize your connection and test the services from your equipment. Once the installation is complete and tested, your service should be ready to go. Will the construction crews make a mess in my yard? Fiber construction often involves digging or trenching and our trucks to be in the neighborhoods. Our contractors are trained to minimize any damage, and should any occur, crews are trained to repair before 4 | January 2021
leaving the job. Feel free to contact us via email at fiber@cooksonhills. com to share any concerns about the construction process.
THE BENEFITS Why are you offering broadband service? Our communities have long suffered from a lack of broadband equality – access to the same speeds and capabilities as those in less rural areas. Broadband availability across our service area will help close the digital divide between those who have access to advanced technology and those who don’t. A few of the many advantages of broadband access are: • online teaching capabilities allowing our students to learn from home • healthcare benefits such as telemedicine • work-from-home interoffice connectivity and videoconferencing capabilities that will help professionals stay in their homes, while being productive • quality of life improvements through enhanced communications • economic development and growth in rural areas. Access to highspeed internet can raise home prices and attract businesses to communities. How will I benefit from fiber internet access? Our sole reason for offering high-speed internet services is to meet the needs of members like you. You will no longer have to rely on DSL, fixed wireless or satellite internet to stay connected online.
You will be able to stream highdefinition media smoothly and quickly, have the data capacity to download and upload data such as files, photos and videos at super-fast speeds, and have access to the latest technological advancements and applications. Our FTTH world-class service will be reliable, affordable and backed by your local, trusted co-op. Unlike many companies, Cookson Hills Connect won’t use introductory promotional pricing and then increase the service price at the end of the contract/promo. With our high-speed internet, you will no longer be locked into a contract or experience surprise or sudden price increases. You will be able to run multiple devices – such as cell phones, computers and laptops – simultaneously in your home or business without decreased download and upload speeds.