6 WINTER 2023 Covering a total area of almost 200 square miles, Panora Fiber will undertake these buildout projects: • Raccoon River Build #2 in the rural Bagley area • Raccoon River Build #3 in the rural Linden and Redfield areas • Raccoon River Build #4 in the rural Adel area Expanding Internet Options Andrew Randol, CEO and General Manager of Panora Fiber, said, “People in these rural areas now have limited internet service options. Some even try to get by using just their cell phone plans for internet. Panora Fiber will be one of the first fiber providers, and we’ll be able to offer Gig speeds and beyond, which represents a huge advancement in technology.” Panora Fiber received grant funds for these buildouts from the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program’s NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability) #007. This program selects Communications Service Providers for broadband infrastructure projects that will have the greatest overall effect of reducing or eliminating unserved or underserved areas in Iowa through the installation of broadband infrastructure. Qualifying projects must be designed to provide last-mile broadband service that reliably meets or exceeds 100/100 Mbps (or 100/20 Mbps in cases where higher speeds are not practical due to excessive costs, geography, or topography). Between the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program’s NOFA #006 and NOFA #007, a total of 197 broadband projects were awarded grants totaling $307.9 million. Panora Fiber is pleased to be among this group of Communications Service Providers and excited to begin work on our buildouts. Timeline and Process What’s the timeline for these projects? Randol replied, “We’ll start with the Raccoon River Build #2 in the rural Bagley area. It will be going out for bid in early winter 2023. Builds #3 and #4 will follow shortly thereafter. Our build goal for the fiber infrastructure, or ‘the pipe,’ is 2023, with service installations for customers to take place in 2023-2024.” He added, “I often explain the fiber buildout process this way: You have to build the interstate first, then build the highways. The fiber infrastructure is like the interstate, and the last-mile connections to homes and businesses are like the highways. Of course, these timelines are subject to change, since we’re at the mercy of supply chains and contractor workforces.” If you’re wondering if Panora Fiber’s buildouts will include a specific location, contact Andrew Randol, CEO and General Manager, at andrewrandol@panorafiber.com. Fiber is a gamechanger, particularly in rural areas that are currently underserved and lack access to sufficient internet speeds. Panora Fiber is ready to address this vital need by expanding our fiber network in select areas of Guthrie and Dallas counties. Panora Fiber to Expand Broadband Reach Raccoon River fiber buildouts will begin in 2023
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