[1st-mile-nm] Northern AZ Broadband News

[Richard Lowenberg]

When it comes to broadband, Northern Arizona is on its own

by Michele Nelson roundup staff reporter  Jul 2, 2019

https://www.paysonroundup.com/news/business/when-it-comes-to-broadband-northern-arizona-is-on-its/article_802a078c-a1f5-5b02-9b57-ea0fe00b79cc.html

Connecting Gila County schools to broadband with more capacity and 
reliability spurred a consortium of local residents to improve broadband 
for all citizens.

Currently, Arizona’s government does not provide oversight of broadband 
companies that provide crucial internet service statewide.

However, Arizona also recognizes broadband as a backbone infrastructure 
needed for jobs, public safety, business, health and communication.

So, where does that leave rural communities like Rim Country and the 
White Mountains?

Out in the cold.

That helps explain the lack of response when the region repeatedly 
suffered internet and related cell phone outages that cost thousands of 
dollars in lost business, but more importantly, put people at risk.

In Rim Country, one outage contributed to the death of a resident. 
Because cell phone providers use the one broadband line coming into 
town, no one could call an ambulance after his motorcycle hit an elk.

The resident died waiting for someone to drive to the hospital to find 
an ambulance.

The Arizona Corporation Commission regulates providers of crucial 
services like water and electricity, but has no authority over 
broadband.

“The commission does not regulate broadband when it is used to provide 
internet access,” said Holly Ward, communications director for the ACC.

The ACC can provide oversight if “some services (are) provided over 
broadband (like voice-over-internet protocol) and may be regulated by 
the commission,” said Ward.

In the case of CenturyLink, the trunk line provider bringing internet 
from the network core to Rim Country, the ACC has no power to compel the 
company to improve broadband service. However, that also means the 
company has no protection from competitors who bring another broadband 
line to town.

“CenturyLink is the incumbent provider, but most telecommunications 
markets in the state are competitive now,” said Ward. “Competitive 
carriers and wireless providers may ... serve the state now since the 
passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.”

Recognizing the Wild West attitude on broadband and spurred by the 
horrors of the outages, several local groups have been working for the 
past five years to find a solution. For a while, it looked like Rim 
Country would remain at the whims of corporations. Members of the Rim 
Country Broadband Consortium say providers wanted millions of dollars up 
front, with no guarantee the outages would end.

Then Cable One stepped up.

“Cable One is the only broadband provider who would work with us,” said 
members of the consortium.

Cable One now sits poised to connect a line from the network cores 
running along Interstates 40 and 10 from Show Low to Phoenix.

The new cable would radically increase the capacity of broadband in both 
Rim Country and the White Mountains, but more importantly, the line 
would provide a loop of service not vulnerable to outages.

Currently, the two communities each sit at the end of a spur line.

Cable One connects the White Mountains to the Interstate 40 network 
core, but stops at Show Low.

CenturyLink provides a spur line to Rim Country from Cottonwood. Maps of 
the state’s broadband lines show CenturyLink’s line runs along Highway 
17 connecting Flagstaff to a loop, but not Rim Country.

If either of these spur lines is cut, service comes to a stand still.

The new line proposed to create a loop between Show Low, Payson and 
Phoenix required creative financing and infinite patience to come about.

• The MHA Foundation paid $2 million for Cable One to come to Payson 
from Show Low.

• Cable One has offered to pay for some of the costs.

• E-rate will pay for spurs to go to schools and libraries in Gila, 
Apache and Navajo counties.

• Gila County has $2.5 million available to invest in broadband in its 
budget.

• The Town of Payson has agreed to pay $90,000 annually for 10 years.

• The Arizona Commerce Authority has $3 million to help with broadband 
in the state.

Increasing the capacity and reliability of broadband in Rim Country and 
the White Mountains will help Arizona realize Gov. Doug Ducey’s top five 
priorities: educational excellence; a 21st century economy; protecting 
communities; fiscal responsibility; and happy, healthy citizens.

State officials say construction on new E-rate connections will start in 
July.

MHA officials say their contract with Cable One requires the company to 
complete the link from Show Low through Forest Lakes to Payson by the 
end of the year.

Consortium officials confirm the line from Payson to Phoenix will happen 
with support from state, county and local governments, despite the lack 
of government oversight.

Rim Country and the White Mountains will benefit from guys who would 
have worn white hats in the Wild West.

Contact mnelson at payson.com


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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute     505-603-5200
Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504,
rl at 1st-mile.org     www.1st-mile.org
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