Nine Electric Power Board employees began testing a 'touch and go' version of the Fiber to the Home service in their residences last week. The early participants were chosen based on his/her proximity to the two super nodes, located off Williams Street and in North Chattanooga. Overall, the broadband internet results are "consistent and fast," while the television signal is coming through clearly on both standard and high definition channels. Early tests on the cable package have been positive, according to Lacie Newton, EPB Corporate Communications.
She said:
[The service is] touch and go at this time—some beta testers have the broadband product which, they're reported, is coming through consistent and fast. Some already have the video but only a small number of channels are up at this time. The feedback on the standard definition AND high definition channels that we're receiving has been very positive—beta testers are very pleased with picture quality.
EPB has not confirmed the channel lineup for its cable package. Public beta testing of the Fiber service begins in mid to late-April with hundreds of customers near the two super nodes set to participate. EPB plans to formally roll out its Fiber program in late-May if infrastructure and telecom services pass April performance tests. More information is available from the EPB Fiber to the Home website. In other EPB news, Gary Poole wrote on Monday that the electric utility has seen a decline in residential and industrial revenue as customers in both sectors struggle to pay their bills:
With the continued downtown of the economy, both the Electric Power Board and many of their customers are having a tough time. Speaking to the EPB board, CEO Harold DePriest explained that more and more people are unable to make payments before their due date, and that a sharp increase in cutoff notices have been sent out. However, he also explained that EPB has been working very hard to avoid cutoffs by working with delinquent customers. [Emphasis added.]
Chattarati will have more on this story later in the week.
David Morton
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