December 16, 2021


AT CHEC

Dear Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative Member,

As we move into the final month of 2021, we are still living through unique and extraordinary times. However, it is exciting times as well. Our new fiber initiative has the potential to have as much impact now as the introduction of electricity did for cooperative members back in 1948.

Many aspects of our lives – the ways we work, learn, spend our downtime, and stay in touch with loved ones – are vastly different in 2021. But one factor is shared throughout: They all rely on access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet.

I’m pleased to let you know that throughout this year, we have made great progress in bringing service to our communities. It started at the beginning of the year with our announcement that Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative was awarded $4 MILLION in federal funding from the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction.

Shortly after, with this funding secured, Cookson Hills quickly turned its attention to making our fiber broadband project happen: hiring contractors, getting estimates for construction, and meeting with installers. Our employees have held weekly meetings to discuss all areas of business including marketing strategy, pricing, and operations for our new subsidiary, Cookson Hills Connect.

After months of preparation behind the scenes, it was finally time to begin the building process of our world-class fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network. Construction began this past Spring. The FTTH buildout will be completed in phases, and it is anticipated to reach 100% of our 14,400 members by the end of 2023.

Currently, the project is in Phase One, which includes the following areas listed by substation and feeder:

  • Enterprise 2 (feeder 4)
  • Tenkiller 4 (feeder 1)
  • Liberty 14 (all feeders)
  • Nicut 12 (all feeders)
  • Akins 15 (all feeders)
  • Muldrow 6 (all feeders)
  • Sallisaw 5 (all feeders)
  • Vian 13 (all feeders)

We are proud of all that we’ve accomplished to date:

  • Over 300 total miles of fiber line built
  • Seven fiber huts installed that light the fiber for our communities
  • Added seven new jobs to our area
  • Connecting new subscribers daily

At Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative, our sole reason for offering high-speed internet services through Cookson Hills Connect is to meet the needs of members like you. We are working as quickly as possible to reach all of our members with lightning-fast fiber broadband so you will no longer have to rely on DSL, fixed wireless or satellite internet to stay connected online.

Fiber-fast internet packages start as low as $54.95 a month for speeds of up to 100 Mbps – symmetrical uploading and downloading – with no data caps or throttling back on speed. Gigabit speed is also available for our power users for $84.95 per month.

If you haven’t already pre-registered at www.cooksonhillsconnect.com, we encourage you to let us know you’re interested in service! Pre-registration is the easiest way to get notifications and service updates sent directly to your email. It does not automatically subscribe you to service.

Feel free to reach out to us at any time with questions or concerns. You can email us at fiber@cooksonhills.com, or call us at 1-800-328-2368, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative and Cookson Hills Connect are committed to the Oklahoma communities we serve. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue our broadband journey and look forward to connecting thousands of customers in 2022! Thank you as always for your support.

Wishing you and your loved ones the best of the holiday season!

Juli Orme

General Manager/CEO

Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative/Cookson Hills Connect

 

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