Factors such as cost, service area and timeline for fiber internet availability to Mineola residents all played a role in delaying this partnership.
MINEOLA, Texas — Mineola residents will have to wait a little longer for faster internet access. The City Council, along with the Mineola Economic Development Corporation, postponed its partnership with the People’s Telephone Cooperative Monday night.
Factors such as cost, service area and timeline for fiber internet availability to Mineola residents all played a role in delaying this partnership.
Quitman-based People’s Telephone Cooperative has approached the City of Mineola for a partnership to expand broadband internet for residents.
“Partnering with these cities will help us accelerate, bring critical infrastructure to the ground, close the digital divide, and deliver reliable, fast, and affordable services to living residents and businesses. We’re just finding ways to make it happen,” said People’s Telephone Cooperative Chief Business Development Officer. Jason Slagle said.
In a presentation to the City Council Monday night, Slagle said the project would cost approximately $3.1 million to $3.2 million to complete. The city of Mineola will pay about 25 to 30 percent of that cost over many years.
Slagle was asked by Mineola City Manager Marcy Rushing if the project could be completed in one go. Slagle responded that the project will be done in seven phases within the city limits, adding that it could take 18 to 24 months to complete.
Either way, city officials are excited to turn the page on the city’s new digital era. They see this as an opportunity for people to stay in Mineola and work from home.
“We’re seeing a lot of commerce happening online. We’re seeing a lot of advertising happening online. A lot of people are working from home. Things like ZOOM meetings are starting to become more popular. and fiber optics provides such services, said Owen Tiner, assistant director of the Mineola Economic Development Corporation.
Peoples Telephone Cooperative has undertaken similar projects in other cities in Northeast Texas.
“They’re building fiber networks for these towns. We see the technology, they know the technology 20 to 30 years from now, and fiber is a way to respond to that,” Tiner said. he said.
All of this is in an effort to improve internet speeds for residents with gigabit internet. This partnership will not only bring faster internet speeds, but will also provide Mineola residents with a new choice of internet providers.
Mineola city officials say residents and businesses only have access to one cable internet provider.
The partnership was tabled at next month’s City Council meeting. City officials and the cooperative will then decide whether to proceed with the project.
In the meantime, the parties will work with the Economic Development Corporation to finalize the details of this partnership in future workshops.
