Plumas-Sierra localnet Internet service provider.

• Author: Compton, Brenda
• Position: Plumas-Sierra Electric Cooperative

Plumas-Sierra Electric Cooperative has begun to provide local internet access as a means to improve the economic and lifestyle quality in its area. This article describes the research, decision-making and implementation processes involved in becoming a local internet provider.

Located in the Sierra-Nevada mountains of northeastern California, Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative serves 6,150 customers in an area larger than the state of Connecticut (see Appendix 1). The cooperative maintains 1,067 miles of electric lines. The economy of the area is traditionally resource-based: ranching, mining, and timber. Snow blankets much of the area from late November until March. Because of the sparse population and the harsh winters, there are few large businesses.

THE INCEPTION

In the first quarter of 1995, the leadership at Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative attended a number of economic development meetings for our service area. Through these meetings it became apparent there were a number of obstacles to overcome in order to attract new companies to and encourage those already here to grow their businesses in our area.

One obvious reason was the lack of cost-effective Internet connectivity, an increasing need in today's business environment and critical to future business success. In our area, subscribers to any of the numerous Internet Service Providers (ISP) are subjected to substantial long distance charges or are paying a per-minute charge for 800 number access.

General Manager Robert W. Marshall was quoted in Ruralite magazine as seeing internet service extending the mission of electric cooperatives. "We were started because power wasn't available to rural America at a reasonable price," Marshall said. "We started our satellite program to bring TV to rural America at an affordable price. Now the Internet is the next logical step."

After weighing the benefits of having toll free Internet Access available to our communities, our cooperative decided to explore the feasibility of becoming a local Internet Service Provider (ISP). We began working with a local consultant to assist us with this project.

UNDERSTANDING THE CUSTOMER PROFILE

The next step was to gather data through community meetings and surveys. Our surveys were conducted via our member magazine, the local newspapers, and two of our service territory county fairs. We also referred to results from our 1994 member survey, which indicated approximately 30% (1,900) of our...