Alliance CEO Ross Petrick and COO Andy Hulscher review construction maps for rural Beresford’s new fiber network during a meeting with contractors in March.
Construction crews are arriving in the rural Beresford area to start building a new fiber-optic internet network.
About 500 locations outside of Beresford city limits now have the option of receiving fiber internet coverage thanks to Alliance Communications and a ConnectSD grant.
What should residents expect from fiber?
“Fiber is the gold standard for internet technology, and those fortunate enough to have access to it enjoy many advantages,” said Alliance’s Chief Executive Officer Ross Petrick. “Fiber delivers the best video picture and sound, provides incredible reliability when working from home, has the lowest latency for activities like online gaming, handles multiple connected devices with ease, and provides considerable advantages to businesses.”
Alliance, based in Brandon, SD, will install fiber in areas outside of Beresford’s city limits. Approximately 60 percent of the eligible homes and businesses in the rural Beresford area have already signed up to receive fiber internet from Alliance. The entry-level package starts at $49.95/month for a 300 x 300 speed, and the fastest plan is $79.95/month for 1,000 x 1,000.
“People won’t regret upgrading to fiber internet,” Petrick said. “Not only will it increase a home’s value, but it will also make it more attractive to potential home buyers. Plus, more people want the ability to work from home or take classes online. Fiber will give rural Beresford residents new options and flexibility.”
What do residents in Alliance’s previous expansion areas have to say?
“I have praise for Alliance all around from the customer service representatives to the technicians who did the installation,” said a rural Canton customer. “I was very impressed with their attitude during the installation. I’m very impressed with everyone at Alliance and the internet service they offer.
Additionally, a rural Canton customer had this to say:
“The technicians who did my internet installation were such great guys. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience starting with the construction all the way to the install. My wife and I are excited to have service with Alliance. Nothing we’ve had in the past has been reliable or a good experience.”
Alliance held a pre-construction meeting with its contractors on Thursday, March 28, to discuss the project and its timelines.
Construction crews are arriving in rural areas north of Beresford in mid-April and will work their way south throughout the summer. Rural Beresford residents will see the following contractors in the area: USIC, Summit Utility Services, Vantage Point Solutions, TelCom Construction, Priority Line Construction, and Tri-State.
Alliance team members Tom Chase, Jeff Hove, and Charles Lawton listen to contractors talk about the timeline for rural Beresford’s new fiber network.
Why do interested residents need to register their addresses?
If home or business owners want fiber from Alliance, they need to register their addresses today at alliancecom.net/newfiber. Alliance is only burying lines to locations that are interested in using the service. Then an Alliance technician will conduct a site visit with the home or business owner. Together, they will determine the best path for burying the fiber-optic line from the road right-of-way to the home or business.
If someone doesn’t register their home or business address, he or she won’t be connected to Alliance’s network. Burying a line to a location costs thousands of dollars, so Alliance needs to know who intends on using their service.
“Alliance’s goal is to bring the best internet service to the area,” said Chief Operations Officer Andy Hulscher. “Alliance and our contractors strive to treat residents’ property with respect. If a problem arises, we will promptly address it.”
What happens during construction of rural Beresford’s fiber internet?
- Locating crews from Summit, USIC, and other utility companies will mark utility lines with flags and temporary paint. These markings help ensure contractors don’t damage buried facilities. Additionally, farmers who buried drain tile in or near the right-of-way should clearly mark it with pink flags, which are available at many local hardware stores.
- In road rights-of-way, construction crews will bury large fiber-optic cables 36-40 inches below the surface. They’ll also install fiber-optic cable markers, hand holes, and green pedestals. The pedestal is where the larger fiber-optic line in the right-of-way connects with the smaller line that runs to the home or business.
- Crews will restore the right-of-way and replant grass within a few weeks after they complete construction. Alliance encourages residents to water the grass seed to help it grow.
- Constructions crews will plow or bore a smaller fiber-optic line from a pedestal in the right-of-way to the home or business. They’ll use the route that the home or business owner and the Alliance technician discussed during the site visit. They’ll restore any disturbed land and replant grass seed within a week. Then residents should water the grass seed as needed.
- Crews will splice together the fiber line running from the home or business to the fiber line in the right-of-way.
- Crews will test the buried fiber to ensure data traffic is flowing correctly.
- An Alliance representative will contact customers to install their internet and/or phone service. Typical installation may include installing an optical network terminal (ONT) inside of the home or business, an Alliance Wi-Fi router, wiring, and a jack. Alliance estimates that installations will start in winter 2024 and continue throughout 2025. Weather and supply chain delays may impact timelines.
“We’re excited for construction of rural Beresford’s fiber internet network to start this April,” Hulscher said. “We already serve the Alcester and Hudson communities, so we’re very familiar with the area. We’ve been in business for 68 years and have decades of experience with projects like this. We’re excited to transform the technological landscape of the area.”
Alliance representatives meet with the contractors who will be building rural Beresford’s new fiber-optic network. Construction is starting this spring and will continue throughout the summer.