Maupin, Oregon Selected for Gigabit Broadband “Connected Communities” Program

LS Networks is constructing a high-density fiber-optic broadband network that will power almost every single building and home in Maupin, Oregon. Soon, the rural north central Oregon community along the banks of the Deschutes River will have the fastest broadband service available — 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps speeds — in the Pacific Northwest.

“Maupin is very excited about the fiber network made possible by our partnership with LS Networks,” said Mayor Lynn Ewing. “They have been exceptional to work with. For the future of Maupin, our businesses, medical clinic, our citizens and schools, this project is huge. We also plan to leverage this fiber infrastructure to attract new business and industry to our little oasis in the desert of Central Oregon.”

LS Networks will participate in a Town Hall event, in conjunction with the City of Maupin, to share information on services and network updates on Nov. 9, from 6–7:30 p.m., at the South Wasco County High School, located at 699 4th St., Maupin, Ore. LS Networks will offer monthly plans in Maupin, starting at $40 for 100 Mbps speed and $70 for 1 Gbps speed, as early as spring 2017. Residents are invited to attend the Town Hall and learn more about LS Networks services for both residents and businesses. The $1.2 million project is funded jointly by the City of Maupin and LS Networks. Maupin received a $410,000 state grant for the project through a partnership with the QualityLife Intergovernmental Agency (QLife). LS Networks contributed roughly 60 percent of total project fees. The Maupin network build-out is the first in a series of 25 communities identified for the program, which bridges geographically diverse Oregon cities with the LS Networks purpose-built, data and broadband IP services network.

“We’re committed to elevating the level of broadband services in rural communities,” said Bryan Adams, Director of Sales and Marketing at LS Networks. “Other telecommunications companies bypass smaller, ‘out-of-the-way’ areas to favor bigger markets and major interstate routes. This creates a gap known as the ‘broadband divide,’ which disadvantages community access to telecommunications — a vital utility.”