Time will tell, but I do believe this year has been a monumental one for Starkville. It is the culmination of much hard work by determined and forward thinking people in the public and private sector. Our latest success stems from the efforts of the Mayor, residents and C Spire.
This is the week C Spire has thrown the “on” switch to light up some of Starkville’s neighborhoods with high speed Internet access. Several neighborhoods qualified with enough participation for C Spire to build the infrastructure to serve them. The percentage needed was 35 percent according to C Spire. This was only achieved by the involvement of the city (mostly Mayor Wiseman) and the enthusiasm of the residents who understand what we can become with this technology at our beck and call.
If 35 percent of a neighborhood or fiberhood as they are known in technology-speak commit to C Spire, then they will run the necessary infrastructure to accommodate that neighborhood. There are now four fiberhoods in Starkville. The most recent addition put Starkville at having 40 percent of the city soon-to-be high-speed Internet access ready. Once again Starkville residents have pushed ahead in the quest for cutting-edge innovation.
A side discussion during the press event was the impact this service brings to residential property values. There is a study that illustrates how access to high speed Internet fiber for your home increases property values. It is equated with other amenities used to market a property. I can’t imagine a real estate agent not adding that tidbit to their marketing program.
The Greenbriar neighborhood in Starkville was the first to meet the 35 percent threshold and was the first to actually get the service turned on. I know this because the first house that became functional was mine. For whatever reason C Spire asked to use my house as the first to go live, and they held a press conference for that occasion. I couldn’t have been more pleased because I agree with my neighbors. When they committed to participate, they said, we believe what this can do for our community.
It has taken 14 months from the time C Spire began the process to the time of the activation of the first customer. That is an unprecedented achievement. They have gone live with three cities in Mississippi in that short period of time. That is a vast capital commitment to both Starkville and Mississippi.
Every morning around 7 a.m. I would meet the sub-contractors headed to the various locations in neighborhoods located on South Montgomery. You couldn’t miss them. They drove white trucks with strobe lights and were pulling large trailers with wheels of cable loaded on them. The amount of equipment and manpower dedicated to this project was a regular source of amazement.
While the press event celebrating and announcing the go-live moment was impressive, what was more memorable was the level of professionalism I experienced in my contact with C Spire throughout the process beginning with signing up for the service all the way to the installation of the service. That professionalism was part of my inspiration for sharing my experience.
It was a well-delivered and service-oriented approach to the customer. Over the months of construction I watched with great interest as they dug holes in mine and the yards of my neighbors. Having been on the receiving end of calls about yards torn up from water repairs, I wanted to see how these folks got it done without incurring the wrath of a bunch of homeowners.
This process was a private sector lesson in excellence for the public sector. C Spire installers took great pains to return the yards to a close approximation of their previous condition.
Is there is a difference in the level of service with the high speed Internet? Unquestionably so. When I use my computer and particularly when I stream video from Hulu or Netflix the download is faster and the resolution on the television much crisper.
When the C Spire guys in the blue shoes and shirts visit your door you can decide if that difference is worth the cost. I am grateful Starkville is part of this equation and has access to this groundbreaking technology.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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