Franklin County
Service in Franklin County is live and expanding
We continue to sign up residents in view of the tower at White Level Road and they are extremely pleased with the high speeds offered by our line of sight technology. Many of those customers are subscribing to our 100 MB service, 50 MB or our standard 25 MB providing much improved speeds compared to their DSL or Satellite service they are currently experiencing.
Our Non-Line-Of-Sight LTE technology is now in it’s final stages of being completed and tested, and is expected to be active within the next couple of weeks. This will provide a wider range of coverage and travel longer distances and will allow signal to pass through trees where the 5 GHz does not.
The WYFL tower in Alert is also active for Line-Of-Sight customers and we have begun installing there the last week of January and continuing in to February. This tower has the same two systems and we will begin testing and installing the LTE in that area as we move forward.
The Cone Dr. tower in Franklinton is still in the works for this month. Once active we will be testing the radios and installations should get started shortly afterwards.
Owens Recreational Park
Free Public WiFi at Owens Park
Visitors to the park can experience high speed Internet for streaming audio or video as the walk, jog or just relax at the picnic area or playground. You will also be able to do video calls while enjoying a nice sunny day out in the field or at the fishing pond. Access is also available in the main building, as well as in the parking lot so that parents and children can download and upload school assignments without leaving the safety of their vehicle.
Enjoy your time at the park whatever you may be doing !
We encourage residents and commercial businesses, if you haven’t already, please visit our website https://openbb.net/home-internet/ and enter your name on our Sign-Up List for Franklin County; this way we can be sure to include you in our testing schedule. Currently we have 932 sign-ups on our Wait List.
Also, you can keep up to date on progress by visiting our Blog https://openbb.net/blog/.
Additionally, as we expand, if you or someone you know is interested in working for Open Broadband as a site surveyor and/or installer and being part of this initiative for your community and surrounding areas; interested candidates can view our job postings and apply via our website careers page: https://careers.openbb.net
The Warrenton Rd Water Tank is currently active for line-of-sight (LOS) service for homes in the immediate area that can see the water tank. The non-line-of-sight service will soon be active and we will then start to test residents further beyond and in areas that have limited or no sight of the tank.
We are preparing to install the equipment on the Hwy 39 & Morgan Rd Water Tank beginning in late Feb-early March.
The Fire Station in Kittrell is also in the plans and as we progress through the project we will begin lining up that area for installation in the very near future.
Early in January representatives of the City of Henderson and Vance County met with Open Broadband to discuss and plan a Free Public Wi-Fi Zone in downtown Henderson. The proposed area of coverage will start from City Hall on Rose Ave, then follow along North and South Garnett St. to Orange Ave. This area will encompass the public spaces and businesses along the main street and also several side streets. It will also include the new proposed Amphitheatre area. High Speed Internet will be available to everyone within the zone of coverage to stream music and video while walking, shopping or relaxing in town.
We will post our progress in this monthly newsletter and through the county website and social media outlets as things progress. https://openbb.net/blog/.
If you have neighbors or relatives that haven’t signed up, please encourage them to visit our website https://openbb.net/vanceco/ to have them enter their name on our Sign-Up List for Vance County; this way we can be sure to include them in our testing schedule.
As we begin and start to expand, we will be looking to hire local people to assist us in providing site surveys and installation services. Interested candidates can view our job postings and apply via our website careers page: https://careers.openbb.net/
The Public Wi-Fi at Granville Athletic Park (GAP) is now active and available for use. Coverage at all the spectator areas of the fields, under the covered area at the concession stand and soon to be at the new tennis court area and playground that is currently under construction.
Oak Hill Tower
The Oak Hill Tower on Charlie Stovall Rd in Oxford.is underway and the project plans are proceeding for installation dates and to schedule tower climbers in early March.
The tower in Wilton is also in the process of being worked on, and should be scheduled for installation within the next 90 days.
If you have neighbors or relatives that haven’t signed up, please encourage them to visit our website https://openbb.net/granvilleco/ to have them enter their name on our Sign-Up List for Granville County; this way we can be sure to include them in our testing schedule.
As we begin and start to expand, we will be looking to hire local people to assist us in providing site surveys and installation services. Interested candidates can view our job postings and apply via our website careers page: https://careers.openbb.net/
Getting Connected…is as easy as 1-2-3 !
The process to connect residences up are very simple and only requires three steps to get you up and running.
Here are some examples of the antennas we use. Different antennas provide signal for different applications and frequencies.
A Message from Open Broadband concerning COVID-19
Staying connected even when apart
COVID-19 has brought many changes to our communities, affecting the ways we live, work and interact. But throughout these changes, one thing has stayed constant: Our determination to serve you and your internet needs in a safe manner working in your community.
As one of the many essential services responding to this national emergency, our work continues – even in those areas with stay-at-home ordinances. You may still see some of our field technicians working in and around your neighborhood. Their work is helping to ensure that residential communities, businesses and critical facilities have the internet they need throughout this time.
As a precaution, if you do see our workers, please avoid approaching them and their work areas. If there is a need to speak with them, be aware that they will be maintaining at least 6 feet of separation. We’ll also be keeping this recommended distance anytime direct interaction for essential services is required on customer properties, inside homes and businesses, consistent with CDC and other public health guidelines.
You will be contacted once service is available
Once service is available at your address, we will contact you to schedule a signal test to ensure sufficient wireless signal for broadband.
Once the signal level is confirmed we’ll set up an in-home installation appointment. A team of installers will set up the system, attaching an antenna to the exterior of your house in addition to an interior gateway device.
If we have not contacted you that means service is not available yet. Please be patient and we will contact you when we can schedule your address. We will provide as much advance notice as possible.
If your neighbors have not joined the signup list, encourage them to do so.
As we continue to expand, we are looking to interview candidates for Part Time positions of surveyors and installers. Interested candidates can view our job postings and apply via our website careers page: https://careers.openbb.net/
This is a long journey to build a new network from scratch using fixed-wireless technology in a challenging terrain. We believe everyone deserves access to broadband speeds and our small company is doing our part to fill in gaps where the 50-100 year old large companies have not implemented.
Open Broadband would like to extend our gratitude to all citizens of Franklin, Granville and Vance counties for their patience while we implement this project. We understand the needs and reliance that everyone has for High-Speed Internet and how it affects your daily lives for commerce, work, education, business, pleasure and entertainment. We are here to help bridge that gap in the underserved rural communities. to your area and we look forward to serving many of you in 2020.
