Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative expanding internet access

MEDINA — Expanded access to high-speed internet through Medina County Fiber Network could stretch into surrounding areas, officials said Tuesday. Plans call for more than $5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars to be put toward getting local municipalities quicker-than-expected access to the fiber network, a list including York, Litchfield, Chatham, Liverpool, Harrisville and Spencer townships as well as Spencer village. Listed areas are under the utility service umbrella of the Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative, which is partnering with Medina County and network backers in the initiative to speed up access for the townships, dubbed Fiber Early. LMRE is the owner of poles and other electrical infrastructure needed for the expansion. Officials have said the co-op could end up owning at least one fiber internet line in the future but have not delved into further specifics of the deal. Speaking to Medina County Commissioners on Tuesday, Kathy Grasz of LMRE said that expansion of Medina County Fiber Network could stretch into areas including Lorain County, specifically the Firelands school district area. The co-op also serves homes in northern Ashland County. "Our goal has always been to make sure all of our members have fiber access," she said. "One of the opportunities is, if this goes well in Medina County, can we take it further and serve other areas, to provide regionally. That's been discussed and those opportunities do exist. We're part of an organization called Cooperative Connect that we hope can help us expand into the Firelands area and others is also there. We have a lot of people watching this project, not just in Ohio but nationally." Grasz said LMRE could end up owning some fiber network lines in lieu of poll attachment fees. "We could use those lines for our own future improvements, the future of electric services to our members," she said. "Smart home technology is very important to our members, so that would allow us to be prepared for the future with that technology as well as more people working from home and going to school from home. Those technologies need to be available." LMRE general manager Ed VanHoose has spoken before national peers in Washington, D.C. about Fiber Early, according to Grasz. "I think one of the reasons this is being watched so closely is not just the collaboration but that it's helping our underserved areas," said Medina County Commissioner Colleen Swedyk. "That's a big focus nationally right now, getting access to the underserved areas. We're taking some big steps toward achieving that." Before working out the Fiber Early agreement, there were reportedly no concrete plans to expand residential access into listed townships. According to project organizers, new provisions will spell a roughly two-year process in getting fiber internet to those homes as opposed to original expectations of at least five years. Alabama-based Lit Communities and its subsidiary, Medina Fiber, are leading Medina County Fiber Network's residential expansion. That work commenced in March in Seville with steady northward progression ever since. Residential network construction was scheduled to begin in the first half of 2020 before the onset of COVID-19 and ensuing gathering restrictions put plans on hold. Contact reporter Jonathan Delozier at (330) 721-4050 or jdelozier@medina-gazette.com.