Another Zone Hits the Mark: Momentum Growing for Elevate Fiber

JULY 27, 2017 – Yet another community can now boast that it has access to gigabit internet. Just this month, Elevate Fiber announced that a zone in Cedaredge met its goal for preregistrations and kicked off construction. Owned by Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), Elevate has made phenomenal progress in building a fiber optic network throughout the co-op’s service territory.

“Elevate is truly an example of the power of cooperative membership. Without the passion and support of our members, we could not have brought the company to life. It has been overwhelming to see members from all parts of our service territory express their need for high-speed internet and their appreciation for our efforts. I commend our board for representing our members’ best interests and working to improve the quality of life in the region by building a fiber network,” said Jasen Bronec, DMEA CEO.

Using a crowdsourcing approach, Elevate has already built fiber networks in portions of Paonia, Montrose, and Orchard City, with Cedaredge just now joining the ranks. To date, they have more than 1,300 live customers and more than 7,000 people in Montrose and Delta counties have expressed their interest.

Response from our members has been extraordinary. We know it can be frustrating for people to realize that their community may not be able to get fiber this year. With more than 3,000 miles of fiber to build across Montrose and Delta counties, it will take years to provide service in all DMEA communities. The success in the areas that already have service is contagious. The more communities that get live service, the more the excitement grows—let’s keep the momentum going,” said Bronec.

Elevate is building first in communities that have shown the most interest by preregistering at join.elevatefiber.com. Home and business installations are currently taking place in multiple zones. Residents and businesses in these zones are encouraged to sign up for service: Call 877-687-3632, visit join.elevatefiber.com, or stop by a local DMEA office during normal business hours. The following zones have live service from Elevate:

• Paonia 45: $100 installation special is no longer available as the initial construction phase is complete. Service installations can take place at the regular $199 installation fee.
• Orchard City 104: $100 installation special is no longer available as the initial construction phase is complete. Service installations can take place at the regular $199 installation fee.
• Montrose 721: Installations are still taking place and the $100 installation special is still valid. This zone is almost complete and the $100 installation special will end soon.
• Paonia 47: Installations are still taking place and the $100 installation special is still valid. This zone is almost complete and the $100 installation special will end soon.
• Hotchkiss 48: Installations are still taking place and the $100 installation special is still valid.
• Cedaredge 125: Construction is underway. Installations will begin soon and the $100 installation special is still valid.

Many neighborhoods in Montrose could also see fiber soon if the momentum continues. Six zones, in particular, are already more than halfway to their preregistration goals:

• Montrose 418: 85% to goal, 26 more preregistrations needed
• Montrose 425: 80% to goal, 20 more preregistrations needed
• Montrose 427: 58% to goal, 46 more preregistrations needed
• Montrose 417: 55% to goal, 31 more preregistrations needed
• Montrose 426: 53% to goal, 38 more preregistrations needed
• Montrose 813: 52% to goal, 346 more preregistrations needed

There is no cost to preregistering for service and doing so secures the $100 installation special. Once construction is complete in a zone and Elevate crews move out of the area, the installation fee increases to $199. As the zones reach their preregistration goals, Elevate releases them for final design and construction. On average, it takes four to six months to complete a full build out of a zone.

“If your community isn’t close to its goal yet, don’t worry. The end goal is to provide access to our network to every DMEA member. We’re only one year down with many more ahead, but that has always been the reality of this project. An entire fiber project cannot be built overnight or even within two years. The continued patience and support of our members is what will make Elevate a long-term success,” stressed Bronec.

Individuals can stay updated by following Elevate’s blog in the updates section at join.elevatefiber.com, following them on Facebook, or stopping into the Customer Experience Center at the DMEA Montrose Office.

Elevate Fiber is a wholly-owned internet subsidiary of DMEA, building a fiber network to DMEA’s service territory. Service offerings at this time include a 100 Mbps (megabits per second) internet option, and 1 Gig (1,000 Mbps) internet option. Elevate will soon be offering a voice (phone) option and is exploring a future video (TV) offering that will bring local channels and streaming solutions to members at a lower price compared to traditional cable/dish offerings. Learn more and preregister for service at join.elevatefiber.com.