Union Wireless employees work to install a conduit running underneath the North Platte River near the Bridge Street bridge July 2. The conduit will house fiber optic cables which will provide faster internet and 3G and 4G cellular service to Union Wireless customers in Platte Valley communities.
roject to bring faster internet to Platte Valley communities is still on the way, but the deadline for the project is in question.
Union Wireless has spearheaded the internet project, promising to bring 20 megabytes per second on the downlink. The project will also allow the company to bring 3G and 4G cellular service to the Platte Valley, an area Union Wireless “normally would not have covered,” if it weren’t for a $23 million grant from the Federal Communications Commission, said Brian Woody, Chief Customer Relations Officer for Union Wireless.
However, the project originally estimated to be done before summer’s end may now dip into the fall, depending on potential problems and work conditions, Woody said. Currently, workers have not run into any major problems.
In order to bring faster internet to Platte Valley communities, Union Wireless has to tie fiber optic lines into the infrastructure. Union Wireless is working on installing a conduit underneath the North Platte River for fiber optics, which will replace a conduit on the Bridge Street Bridge, Woody said.
Union Wireless workers could be spotted July 2 installing the conduit running along the north side of the bridge. The conduit necessary for higher speed internet.
The conduit was estimated to be completed in May, but the project is moving slower than expected, Woody said. However, because of demand and the large grant from the FCC to fund 3G and 4G cellular services, finishing the project is important.
“We have got enough utilization of data in that area, and it exceeded what we can offer,” Woody said. “Without adding this fiber in, we can’t offer anything more today.”
Once the project is completed, Union Wireless customers can choose to subscribe to the faster internet service at an additional cost, or keep their current service.
Woody said the company is still not ready to discuss pricing of the new service.
The fiber optic extension is a project completely funded by Union Wireless, Woody said. However, the line is needed to offer 3G and 4G services to Union Wireless customers living or working in the Platte Valley.
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