Over the past several months, I have mentioned PIE&G Connect and our fiber-to-the-home project, but I haven’t really dedicated an entire column to it. So, this month, I’m going to talk about a few aspects of the project that have created questions among the membership.
How do I sign up for fiber internet service?
The best way to sign up is to visit www.piegconnect.com and click on the “I’m Interested in Fiber Internet” button at the top right of the web page. This will take you to our interest tool, where you can enter your electric service address and determine if we will be in your area. Once we complete construction and open your area to service, we will contact you to let you know the next steps. Depending on your location, this may be several months from now.
How do I know if fiber service is currently available in my area?
Currently, there are three feeders, or zones, on the Onaway substation that are open for service—ON 1, ON 4, and CC 3. You can easily tell if that includes your service area by looking at the “Map Location” box on your electric bill. If the map location begins with ON 1, ON 4, or CC 3, you are within the area that is now open for service. I’ve included a graphic on the next page for your reference. If you have registered with our interest tool, you will be notified of the next steps. If you’ve not registered using our interest tool, you will need to take that step first, before we can begin your service application. If your map location is not yet available for service, please check for updates on www.piegconnect.com. The next feeders that will open are CC 4, BL 3, BL 4, and BL 1, in that order. We are working to develop a timeline to open the remaining feeders in Phase 1 of the project for those whose map location begins with the letters FB and ML.
Onaway already had access to another internet service. Why did you start there?
We started in Onaway because we wanted the electronic equipment necessary to operate the fiber network to be located as close to our office as possible. Starting an entirely new service offering from the ground up is incredibly challenging. We wanted the first connections to be located near our office so personnel could respond quickly to service locations to resolve any issues we, or our members, might encounter. I hope this column is helpful. Please visit our websites, www.pieg.com and www.piegconnect.com, for further information. You can also check our page on Facebook. We will do our best to provide timely information on our progress and service offerings. Just like the electricity we started supplying in 1937, we’re proud to deliver another vital service that other providers have chosen not to offer. It’s the Cooperative way!
