Moore Haven, Florida-based Glades Electric Cooperative has completed a long-planned fiber broadband network into largely unserved parts of the Sunshine State. The 1,600-mile network, built in conjunction with Conexon Connect, now spans Glades, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee counties, and the vast majority of the cooperative’s electrical footprint.
Like so many U.S. cooperatives, Glades Electric, founded in 1945, is leveraging a long history with rural electrification to inform its fiber broadband expansion plans and bring connectivity to those long-stranded by market failure and a lack of Internet access competition.
Also like most U.S cooperatives, the upgrades not only bring affordable Internet access, they aid in monitoring and repairing the existing electrical network.
“In addition to closing the digital divide for our cooperative members, we are pleased to update and expand our communications to our substations, corporate offices, grid connected devices and beyond, as a result of our project and long-term partnership with Conexon Connect,” said Michael Roberge, Glades Electric Cooperative CEO
For many rural Florida subscribers getting fiber for the first time, the speeds and pricing are better than what’s seen in many urban markets.
Conexon offers locals four fiber pricing tiers: an “Essentials” plan offering 200 megabits per second (Mbps) symmetrical for $59.95 per month; a “Premier” plan delivers up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) symmetrical for $79.95 per month; an “Ultimate” plan offering symmetrical 2 Gbps for $99.95 per month; and the top-tier “Elite” symmetrical 5 Gbps plan with variable pricing.
The $50 million network construction costs were offset by $20 million in state grant funds through Florida's Broadband Infrastructure Program and Broadband Opportunity Program. Glades Electric Cooperative owns the physical fiber-optic network infrastructure, while Conexon Connect operates the retail service.
Conexon was initially known for rural fiber-optic network design and construction, but launched its own last mile public facing retail ISP, Conexon Connect, in 2021. It now directly provides last mile access via networks across Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri.
According to Conexon, the Glades Electric partnership is the 14th collaborative U.S. fiber network built in the last five years, the third fiber network built in Florida, with Conexon now passing 40,000 homes and businesses across rural Florida alone.
“The completion of our third fiber network in Florida reflects the power of strong local partnerships and highlights Conexon Connect’s growing impact,” Randy Klindt, Conexon Founding Partner and Conexon Connect CEO says of the milestone. “Together, we’re expanding reliable fiber internet access for rural Floridians and strengthening the communities we serve.”
Conexon's impact in Florida spans five electric cooperatives' service territories, including Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Glades Electric Cooperative, Escambia River Electric Cooperative (EREC) – as well as partnerships with Central Florida Electric Cooperative and Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative.
Inline image of Glades Electric Cooperative and Conexon representatives courtesy of Glades Electric Cooperative Facebook page
