Fiber to the Home Project
The remainder of the Maurine exchange (rural), including areas west, north, and east of Maurine are scheduled for FTTH upgrades in 2023.
Contractors:
Wiring Contractor - Golden West Telecommunications
Engineering Consultant - Heberly & Associates
Construction Contractor - MasTec North America
PROJECT UPDATES
May 18, 2023
- Heavy rain last week has put a temporary halt to construction.
May 11, 2023
- The plow crews are working along Deep Creek Road between Bixby and Lily Creek Roads, including private drives. The crews will move onto Lily Creek Road to work between Deep Creek Road and Hwy 212, including private drives.
- The bore crew is working along Lily Creek Road in the same location as the plow crew.
- The next move is along Hwy 212 and east to Cottonwood Road.
May 4, 2023
- Golden West technicians expect to be done with the first phase of inside wiring in all customer homes in the project area this week.
- MasTec’s plow crews are working along Bixby Road between Highway 212 and Deep Creek Road, including private drives and 173rd Avenue.
- The bore crew is working along Bixby Road in the same location as the plow crew.
April 27, 2023
- Golden West technicians expect to be done with the first phase of inside wiring in all customer homes in the project area this week.
- MasTec will have a boring crew working in the area after they finish work in the Enning exchange.
- Main line plowing will get underway on May 1st.
January 26, 2023
Golden West Will Bring Fiber Optic Technology to Maurine & Enning in 2023
WALL, SD – Golden West continues to expand its fiber network to the remainder of the Maurine exchange, including rural areas west, north, and east of Maurine, and the remainder of the Enning exchange. Fiber optic technology allows for greater bandwidth and speeds, offering a more reliable and secure connection to the world for all telecommunications services including internet and phone.
The Fiber to the Home (FTTH) project will convert homes and businesses from copper cable to long, thin strands of glass called optical fibers, like a strand of hair. These fibers use pulses of light to transmit data and are immune to environmental factors such as electrical currents and water. The multi-year process of upgrading all Golden West customers involves burying about 14,000 miles of fiber-optic cable.
“To put that in perspective, it equates to a cable that would stretch from Wall, South Dakota, to the southern tip of South America and back – that’s 14,000 miles,” emphasizes General Manager and CEO Denny Law. “While the effort is significant, the need is enormous as broadband access plays an integral role in our lives today, both personally and professionally.”
Golden West will host an informational open house for subscribers in and around Maurine and Enning who are a part of this year’s construction project. It will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Nellie’s Saloon on 17500 SD Hwy. 34 in Enning. Those in attendance can learn more about the project from Golden West representatives and can talk with contractors who will assist with the local project. Attendees can also enjoy appetizers and refreshments.
Two contractors will help complete the project in the rural areas of Maurine and Enning on behalf of Golden West. These include MasTec North America handling construction, and Heberly & Associates covering easements, permits, and inspections. Golden West will take care of wiring and customer service.
FTTH is a multi-stage project that can take up to a year depending on factors such as weather. Current customers will be transitioned to the new fiber optic technology after construction is complete late in 2023 or early in 2024. At that time, customers will be able to subscribe to Golden West’s faster internet speeds.
Currently almost three-quarters of the Golden West service territory is served by fiber. The cooperative is committed to upgrading its entire service territory to fiber within the next four to five years. In addition to Maurine and Enning, Golden West will also complete fiber projects this year in rural Custer, Murdo, and in the Colton and Humboldt-Montrose exchange, towns and rural.