Calhoun Fiber construction work continues

By Editor | February 21, 2023 |

By Carissa Sitki

Work continues on the Calhoun Fiber project which aims to bring high speed fiber internet to Calhoun County. Illinois Electric Cooperative (IEC) recently released updates on the project which is nearing completion in Batchtown and will be moving into Kampsville next month.
Co-op and contractor crews are continuing their fiber work and IEC has delivered “Last Call” postcards to residents in Hardin who are now ready for activated service.
“We have placed a deadline of the first of May for those wanting to take advantage of the free install promotion,” read an IEC press release. “If you have received the postcard, please call, and we will schedule you.”
IEC can be reached at 1-800-468-4732.
According to IEC, crews have begun constructing drops in Batchtown and will finish building the remaining drops in Brussels, Winneberg, and Hardin. A fiber drop consists of a fiber cable that connects fiber cables from the fiber service provider to the side of the customer’s home.
As drops continue to be completed, IEC will contact the consumers as soon as they finish testing and they are ready to be installed. Fiber activations in Batchtown will begin on March 1.
IEC also announced that bids will begin to be received before March 1 and that the construction will follow.
“We will receive bids for Kampsville before the first of March and award the bid,” read the IEC release. “Construction for Kampsville will begin in March.”
Calhoun Fiber is a multi-year project and once it is all said and done, there will be 421 miles of fiber optic cable running throughout Calhoun County. Along with the “significant amount of construction to be completed,” IEC emphasized that easements are critical to the project and can cause construction delays.
“Easements can delay construction significantly,” read the IEC release. “If you still need to sign an easement, please do so and encourage your neighbor to sign one as well.”
Answers to many questions can be found on the Calhoun Fiber website’s “Frequently Asked Questions” section, at CalhounFiber.com.