Partnership is Key in Bringing a Fiber Network to Rural Iowa

Deploying a rural broadband network can be challenging, but with decades of experience and expertise in the broadband industry, Wesco can provide the products, services and solutions to successfully deploy fiber networks.

The Challenge

Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) is one of the largest electric cooperatives in the state of Iowa and provides electricity and internet/phone services to 14,000 members in nine east-central Iowa communities.

MVEC’s members had expressed the need for better internet connectivity. This need by their members coincided with the cooperatives desire to ramp up communications to improve electric grid operations. By building a fiber network throughout their service area, they could create a robust fiber optic backhaul that could connect every substation with fiber, and ultimately, every meter with a fiber connection.

Initial Scope of Work: 2,400 miles of fiber to be laid in four phases.

Five-Year Plan: To improve electric grid operations and provide a state-of-the-art

How Wesco Helped

Having an established relationship with MVEC, Wesco was asked to quote on the initial phase of the project. The cooperative wanted the build to move quickly and efficiently, and having one experienced partner who could provide 98% of the equipment would help to streamline the entire project. As a result of their competitive bid, product and equipment availability, and their reputation in the industry, Wesco was selected as the materials provider for the initial phase and, ultimately, for the other phases of this project.

Wesco's partnership with this project provided the cooperative with a complete material handling solution that increased the overall efficiency of the buildout. Other benefits included:

• Streamlined supply chain solutions to fit MVEC’s unique needs
• Consolidated purchasing that allowed materials to be shipped and received at Wesco facilities and then individually palletized, labeled and shipped for each segment of the project
• Alternative item sourcing and selection
• Access to equipment from all the industry-leading suppliers
• A dedicated team to provide materials forecasting, scheduling and logistical information for the duration of the long-term project
   

Partnerships are Key

“Wesco has been privileged to be part of Maquoketa Valley’s fiber journey from the beginning," stated Steven Dean, Senior Vice President, Utility for Wesco. “Supporting Maquoketa’s unique fiber deployment and working in partnership with them to deliver broadband to an underserved community through our technical knowledge and unique fiber material solutions has brought us valuable insight. We have learned how to better serve our co-op customers and we are always mindful of the positive impact that deploying broadband has in public power and co-op communities.”

Deploying a rural broadband network can be challenging, but with decades of experience and expertise in the broadband industry, Wesco can provide the products, services and solutions to successfully deploy fiber networks.