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DSL network gets funding approval By GREG STILES The final financial link leading to state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure for Oregon's rural communities is now in place. The Oregon Economic and Community Develop Commission last week approved the final $21 million for 14 projects totaling $65.4 million that will assure uninterrupted high-speed telecommunications. The bottom line is that anyone in Jackson and Josephine counties within three cable miles of Qwest central offices should have digital subscriber lines available within 30 months. Beyond three miles, high-speed digital subscriber line (DSL) availability will depend on booster units placed at the end of the cables. The OECDC action was applauded by members of the Southern Oregon Telecommunications and Technology Council, who lobbied for what began as Senate Bill 622. "Completed funding ensures the project will be followed through to completion," said Charlie McHenry and SOTT member. "It would've been 10 years out before we got the SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) ring." A separate bill is waiting for Gov. John Kitzhaber's signature that will create an interim statewide Telecommunications Coordinating Council to study ways of extending broadband digital services to rural areas. SOTT will represent this region on the panel. Five "self-healing" fiber-optic rings will span several counties and encircle large portions of the state. Self-healing rings prevent telephone and data service interruptions caused when optical fibers are cut or damaged. Self-healing rings instantly reroute voice and data calls over alternate back-up optical fibers, but don't repair themselves as their name might imply. Mary Healy, a Qwest spokeswoman in Portland, said work has already begun on the Southern Oregon ring with completion scheduled for early next year. "Not many businesses are going to locate in an area without (SONET)," McHenry said. "The most important thing is that we won't be left out of the digital economy in Southern Oregon for lack of infrastructure." The southern ring connects central offices - generally in downtown locations - Klamath Falls, Ashland, Phoenix, Talent, Medford, Central Point, Gold Hill, Rogue River, Grants Pass, Winston, Roseburg, Cottage Grove, Eugene, Lowell and Oakridge. High-speed hungry businesses can test their address for service availability at www.qwest.com on the Web. To this point, the flow of data going out has been faster than the capability of receiving it for most computer users. "If you're at your house ... you're limited to a telephone line and limited bandwidth," McLarney said. "Every business person or residential user sneaks into the office on weekends to get the things done (that) they can't get done on the computer at home. "People working from the home or garage have been stuck. They can't represent themselves to the world as an Internet site." Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc. executive director Gordon Safley said the fiber ring will benefit existing firms and serve as a recruiting tool. It's definitely going to be an improvement for companies such as Harry and David and Diversified Collection Services in Grants Pass, Safley said. "There have probably been two or three companies in the past two or three years that have listed (the lack of self-healing rings) as one of the reasons for not coming here. Whether that was the primary reason or not, I don't know." The SONET will make it easier to recruit new business to the region, he said, because it won't put them out of business if a line gets cut. "Back-office businesses that can be located anywhere tend to go for quality of life and good work forces," Safley said. "Phone service like this is a big plus." Reach business reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.