Indiana is positioned to be well connected with the second announcement this month of a statewide fiber network consortium. The newest entrant, Accord Telecommunications Collaborative, LLC, is owned by 21 electric and telephone cooperative service providers and covers 75% of the state’s land mass.
Accord’s owners, which are non-profit organizations, collectively service more than 300,000 homes and businesses in Indiana. They own 20,000 miles of fiber and about 40,000 miles of electric lines. Announcements about partnerships with other providers are expected to be made in the coming weeks.
The emphasis will be on using assets from its members rather than leasing or purchasing fiber from others
“The strength of Accord is that it represents a collaboration of 21 local, non-profit cooperatives that are focused on bringing a community-based solution for connectivity,” Mike Burrow, an Accord Board Member and CEO of NineStar Connect, said in a press release. ” This will ensure our state is not dependent on out-of-state, for-profit investors to improve the quality of life and place across rural Indiana.”
The members of Accord are South Central Indiana REMC; NineStar Connect; RTC Communications; SEI Communications; JCREMC; Jackson County REMC; Decatur County REMC; LaGrange County REMC; Steuben County REMC; Miami-Cass REMC; Kosciusko REMC; Southeastern Indiana REMC; PSC/Southern Indiana Power; Parke County REMC; RushShelby Energy; Jasper County REMC; Northeastern REMC; WIN Energy REMC; Boone REMC; Marshall County REMC and Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative.
Henry County REMC; UDWI and Harrison REMC are associate members.
On June 1, seventeen service providers announced the formation of the Hoosier Net consortium and intended to form a statewide fiber network. The consortium plans to operate thousands of miles of fiber. The goal is to leverage their establish middle mile infrastructure to reduce the cost of connecting unserved and underserved areas.
One organization – SEI Communications – is listed as a member of both groups.
