Pat PryorWithin two years most Lansing households will have access to high speed broadband internet service.  Until now about 330 homes and businesses have been unable to get service that meets the FCC minimum broadband standard.  because they did not fall within the reach of Time Warner's cable service.  In March Lansing's Tompkins County Legislator Pat Pryor announced that New York State had awarded a $2.2 million grant to extend high-speed Internet service to unserved and underserved areas of Tompkins County.

"We'll probably be starting in a very few weeks," said Lansing's Tompkins County Legislator Pat Pryor, who chairs the county Broadband Committee.  "The Town of Lansing is fully included in the $2.2 million we received.  We'll get the full buildout."

Pryor says that 44 61-foot-tall utility poles will be erected by local Internet Service Provider Clarity Connect around the county to hold equipment used to beam wireless Internet signals to homes and businesses.  Most poles will be served wirelessly, while some will be connected by cable.  Two existing 911 towers will also be used to hold relays for the system, and a new tower will be built in Mecklenburg to coordinate the signals to and from all the poles.

Cost to customers is anticipated to be between $35 and $45 per month depending on the package customers choose.  Discounts will be given for families in need that qualify.

"We're very anxious to see that this is affordable," Pryor said.  "Affordability was one of our bottom line requirements as we put this grant together and found a private partner to work with."

The minimum upload and download speed will at least meet FCC standard, but only 5% of those served will receive the minimum speed.  70% to 75% of county customers will get much faster service with the remaining customers somewhere in between.  The FCC lists minimum speeds in a range of 0.5 Mbps for Web browsing to 4 Mbps for video conferencing, gaming, and high quality streaming video.  The equipment is upgradable by software so higher speeds may become available later without a need for new transmitters/receivers.

"Depending on things that happen in the broadband environment in New York State we're anticipating that within the next couple of years we'll be able to double that signal strength without changing out any of the equipment that's going to be installed," Pryor said.

Of the 330 Lansing homes that currently do not have access to broadband all but between six and sixteen will be able to receive the new wifi service.  That will mean that 95% to 98% of currently unserved locations will have access to service.  Many of those who are already served will also have access.

"Many people have been calling and emailing me with questions regarding the broadband project for which we recently received grant funding," Pryor says.  "The project is quite complex and there are many technical questions that will be better answered by our grant partner, Chuck Bartosch of Clarity Connect.  The best way to let Chuck know that you are interested in receiving broadband service, or improved broadband service, through this project, is by calling Clarity Connect or going to the Clarity Connect web site and filling out an inquiry form."

Pryor says the grant will provide coverage for most of Tompkins County, but not all.  Her committee is still looking for funding to add broadband for Enfield and Caroline.

For Lansing residents and businesses broadband could be available in a year to eighteen months.  Pryor said that she thinks realistically it will take two years to be completed.

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