North Sky Communications crews install conduit for a fiber optic line under a roadway. Miles upon miles of similar infrastructure are installed above and below ground throughout Grant County in order to provide residents with high-speed internet access.
July 10, 2023
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Grant County fiber expansion nears finish line
EPHRATA — A decades-long project to provide fiber optic cable, and fiber access, to most Grant County locations is almost done. Terry McKenzie, senior manager of wholesale fiber for the Grant County PUD, said the buildout is scheduled for completion in 2024. “We’re about 90-ish (percent) complete with the project customer base, with the customer count,” McKenzie said. “We’re about 60-ish (percent) complete on miles. The very last year and a half is going to be a lot of miles, getting very little customers, because we waited to do the rural (areas) at the end.” Buildout costs from 2018 to project completion are estimated at about $70.2 million, according to the PUD website.