SCHLEY TOWER IS UP AND RUNNING !
Tower in Schley is now operational
We are pleased to report that our equipment is now installed on the tower in Schley, and we began activating line-of-sight customers with up to 100 Mbps speed.
Our non-line-of-sight equipment is going through final QA testing prior to activating new customers in a few weeks. This technology does not require being able to physically see the tower and it is designed to penetrate through trees and transmit longer distances, on average up to 3-5 miles. We know there are many residents in the area that are in this type of situation and with this technology, we will be able to serve a large number of homes.
We know how important high-speed internet is to everyone and we thank you for your patience while we work to activate this and bring it on line.
Silo on Efland-Cedar Grove Rd
Work continues to increase capacity to the silo on Efland-Cedar Grove Rd so we can fully serve Lake Orange and the Governor Scott area residents. Originally we had installed equipment a few weeks ago and during our testing period we had discovered that the capacity and performance was not what we had originally expected and therefore we have decided to change the technology and install new equipment so that we could serve more customers and provide higher throughput speeds. This new equipment will be installed in the next couple of weeks and we will again go through our testing phase before we open it up to subscribers. We know everyone has been waiting for this for a long time and we are committed to get it active as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and your support.
In January we activated our 200th customer in Orange County. We continue to reach out to as many residents as we can to bring them High Speed Internet in these difficult times. With the extended closure of schools, and more demand for school work being provided online, many parents are struggling to meet the demands of getting their kids connected so they can do their school work from home rather than going to a public place to upload and download assignments. We also understand many parents are now working virtually from home and their livelihoods depend on High Speed Internet to meet the objectives for their work responsibilities and businesses. We are committed to continuing to provide service to the underserved / unserved rural communities wherever we can and whenever we can.
We thank the County, and the residents for their continued support !
Introducing Cellular Quick Connect
We have many residents that have signed up for this alternative cellular service while they are waiting for our Fixed Wireless service to be implemented in their area and we have made some revisions to the service. We now refer to it as Cellular Quick Connect.
What this means is you can order this, try it for a 14 day trial period at NO obligation and NO cost ! Simply sign up and we will ship a fully configured unit that you just plug in and you are ready to go online. Service is provided by AT&T Cellular.
The data plans have also changed and we now offer several different plans to meet your needs. We have a few users that opted for higher level plans, and are getting unlimited usage and speeds up to 30 Mbps.
- No survey or installation will be performed (a savings of $135.00)
- No technician will visit your site
- Your service is immediate, no waiting for connection activation
- Downloads and usage are unlimited; however, speeds may vary or be affected or slowed down by the carrier cell tower connection based on network traffic and/or signal strength. You will not be cut off completely. ***
- No monthly contracts, automatic reoccurring billing to your credit card or bank account draft
- No penalties for cancelation, simply notify us and return the equipment
- No service charge for repairs or replacement, Open Broadband owns the equipment
- The system is portable, so take it anywhere you travel and can get an AT&T cellular connection
- Place the unit anywhere in your home, garage, boat, trailer or car
- You can connect your personal router to the integrated Ethernet LAN port or you can connect a laptop / desktop computer to it for a direct wired connection, in addition to wireless coverage
- Can be used as a Hot Spot for up to 10 users
- 7×24 Open Broadband Support Help Line
- If your signal is not as strong as you would like it to be, we can have a technician come on site to do a test evaluation and install an outdoor Yagi antenna (if needed) for a $135.00 one-time non-refundable fee.**
- Click on the link below to create and register your account and credit card for an automatic monthly reoccurring charge.
- Base service starts at 8 Mbps download speed for $149.99/mo. Additional upgraded plans are also available. Please contact us for more information.
https://openbroadband.mypaysimple.com/s/cellular-broadband-no-install - We will then process your payment for $149.99 per month and ship your unit out via USPS.
- No equipment deposit or rental fees. No installation fees.
- Once you receive your unit, plug it in near a window, verify your Internet connection and run a speed test to verify the download speed is acceptable for your needs. If you are not satisfied, return the unit within 14 days of receipt and we will credit your account.
* Cancellation of service must be made in writing to Open Broadband within the 14-day trial period without any charges. Cancellations after 14 days will incur the current monthly charge. Canceled subscription units must be returned and received within 10 days of cancellation or a $500.00 charge will be applied to your credit card or bank account. Units and accessories must be in working order and free of physical or electronic damage (including antennas, GPS cord and module and power supply).
** Testing does not guarantee service or reception will be improved or increased. Optional Yagi antenna will be fixed to the structure or pole and a cable will be run in to the home. Service and performance are strictly dependent on carrier’s signal, tower location, distance to tower and obstructions between tower and reception antenna.
*** Speeds are not guaranteed up to the stated number and subject to network availability.
AT&T may slow speeds after 50GB of data usage of the 8Mbps plan, 75GB of data usage of the 12Mbps plan, 125GB of data usage of the 50Mbps plan and 175GB of data usage of the 100Mbps plan. We have zero control over this and it is determined by AT&T’s systems
You will be contacted once fixed-wireless 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.
A big Thank You to all of our customers in Orange County! 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.
Thank you for your patience and support, while we continue to develop solutions to provide High Speed Broadband to your area and we look forward to serving many more of you throughout the year.
A Reminder 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.
