Teton Broadband Project eNewsletter

April, 2012

Silver Star Communications has resumed construction for the Teton Broadband Project. Construction crews will be working in the Town of Jackson, on Teton Pass and on the Old Pass Road. The construction should not cause road closures and impact to local traffic will be kept at a minimum.

The Teton Pass portion of the project is close to completion with rehabilitation work remaining. In addition to Silver Star’s repair project on the Old Pass Road, local resident and avid cyclist Jim Verdone sees an opportunity to further enhance this pathway known for its high number of recreational users. Mr. Verdone has a vision for more comprehensive repairs and is actively seeking donations through the Wilson-based 501-c3 nonprofit organization, Institute For Global Awareness.

Seeing another avenue to highlight the historic importance of the Old Pass Road, Silver Star, Friends of Pathways, Bridger-Teton National Forest, and the Jackson Hole Historical Society are working to bring technology and history together to tell the story of the road for both visitors and locals to enjoy. This joint project will result in a smartphone application guiding users through the key historical markers on the Old Pass Road. The application is currently under development at Silver Star.

The Togwotee Pass portion will continue through the summer and the awarded contractors will start plowing in the fiber network as the snow melts. With help from local and government agencies Silver Star will continue to strive to make the most practical construction route decisions that are both sensitive to the environment and convenient for residents and visitors. 

The Teton Broadband Project began in April 2011 and is being co-funded by Silver Star and two grants received from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The program allowed Silver Star the opportunity to enhance the network in Jackson and to provide fiber connections to Community Anchor organizations among other institutions in Jackson, ultimately improving broadband connectivity — adding capacity and reliability to local services for the entire community.

Silver Star Communications is a privately-owned telecommunications company with locations in Jackson, Afton, Thayne, Soda Springs, and Driggs. Silver Star has been working to provide greater Broadband access to the Jackson community for many years.

March, 2012

Silver Star is anxiously awaiting the spring thaw so we may resume the Teton Broadband Project. This project involves installing fiber-optic cable over Teton Pass and Togwotee Pass with the intention of significantly enhancing broadband service in Jackson, Wyoming. This project was made possible because of the NTIA’s (National Telecommunications Information Administration) economic recovery program.

Although construction was not possible during the winter months, the engineering and sales teams were coordinating with several Community Anchor Institutes to design networks and connect their organizations to the fiber. Several of the key projects underway include The Center for the Arts, St. Johns Hospital and Urgent Care, and the Home and Ranch Building. Increasing broadband capacity to the community anchors, ultimately benefits the entire community.

Significant progress has been made in this project with fiber connections established and live between Rafter J subdivision and Victor, ID and Rafter J and Teton Village, WY. These connections will allow key organizations to connect in the coming months. Silver Star has also completed a SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking) ring, creating redundancy of the network and preventing communication outages. The completion of this ring serves as the first true fiber diverse ring between Jackson – Victor – Swan Valley – Star Valley. This huge network advancement provides long-term benefits to all communities. The map below displays the fiber and fiber-ready paths (conduit) that have been placed. Orange indicates where fiber has been placed and green shows fiber-ready paths to be completed this summer.

Silver Star’s work on this project will provide broadband benefits to all members of Jackson regardless of service provider. Updates on the project, future plans for services, and success stories will be shared as progress is made.

 

January, 2012

With the winter weather and frozen ground, the Teton Broadband Project has slowed. The contractors hired to lay the fiber lines completed a significant portion of the project, with over 80 of the total 110 miles of fiber optic lines placed. Due to long hours put in by Silver Star’s staff and contractors, several Jackson Community Anchors and businesses will begin reaping the benefits of the grant project in early 2012.

What does this mean for Jackson residents? The goal of this project is to increase broadband capacity and reliability in Jackson. Because funding was received as a part of NTIA’s (National Telecommunications Information Administration) economic recovery program, we must first focus on providing services to community anchor institutions (emergency services, educational establishments, etc.). In the meantime, we are working with businesses directly along the fiber route in need of broadband circuits. Our long term plans for Internet or other communications services are in the strategic planning phase, but we ultimately hope to provide additional services to the Jackson community. Regardless of your communications provider, the overall broadband capacity the reliability in Jackson will improve because of this project. The additional fiber routes out of Teton Valley provided by the broadband project will provide redundancy in the event of a fiber cut. Stay tuned for more news as we bring organizations online in 2012.

July, 2011

By now most of you have probably seen the various construction crews around town and on HWY 22 laying conduit which will later house our fiber optic cables, connecting to Silver Star’s fiber optic networks and beyond. The actual construction project has progressed smoothly and we expect to finish the Teton Pass portion of the project early this fall, with the potential to have services turned on to our first customers before the end of the year. Our focus has been to bring this cutting edge connection to the Teton County communities, while being mindful of our impact. Our ability to bore underground and to utilize “micro trenching” have meant less disturbance to traffic and “leave as we find it” environmental sensitivity. We expect to complete phase one of the project this year, and phase two over Togwatee Pass next year. We appreciate your patience, and your excitement. -Rob Heiner | Project Manager

Benefits of Broadband: eHealth

From speeding patient diagnoses and reducing medication errors to controlling skyrocketing medical costs and advancing patient care, broadband-enabled health care represents the next great frontier for American medicine.

• The Rand Corporation estimates that using health IT to create a more efficient health system can save the average American family 25% of their annual out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, about $670 per year.
• Remote patient monitoring could save $197 billion in health care costs over 25 years.
• 82% of doctors who use electronic records say they improve the quality of clinical decisions, 86% say they help in avoiding medication errors and 85% say they improve the delivery of preventative care.
• 30% of all hospital, out-patient and drug expenses could be saved from remote monitoring for the chronically ill.
• 50% of patients with chronic disease do not take their medication as prescribed-impeding their quality of life and inviting costly complications. Broadband can help by providing real-time reminders to patients to help them reap the full benefits of their care regimens.
• 61% of American adults go online to access health information and 42% say they or someone they know has been helped by health information found online.

Click here to view the full article from US Telecom.

The Big Question

We expect local “Community Anchor Institutes” in Jackson to be connected to the broadband technology, first, as outlined in the NTIA grant. Because this is an effort to create connections to larger networks, bringing bigger economic development opportunities to the state and region, the project serves the anchors – hospitals, schools, Town and County administration, etc. – first. We have heard from many of you that you are interested in knowing what this means to you at home, and we can’t wait to serve you. Once we have completed the project in 2012 and met our obligations, we will happily focus on how we can offer additional services to the community members of Jackson and the surrounding area.

Silver Star Communications Begins the Placing of Fiber-Optic Cable

April 27, 2011

The Teton Broadband Project has kicked off in its construction of a new fiber-optic cable, slated to significantly enhance broadband service in Jackson, Wyoming, adding speed, capacity and reliability to local services. Silver Star Communications received two grants to expand the broadband infrastructure for Internet access from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The first phase of The Teton Broadband Project, consisting of the two awarded grants over Togwotee and Teton Passes, presents the opportunity to provide fiber connections to emergency services, Town and County facilities, hospitals, libraries, schools, and other “community anchor” organizations.

“This once in a lifetime opportunity to connect Jackson to the rest of Wyoming’s fiber optic network will increase the capacity, reliability and speed with which we communicate,” said Ron McCue, COO of Silver Star Communications. McCue added, “Jackson is the missing link, literally, to creating a redundant fiber ring throughout the state, and we’ve been searching for viable ways to close this gap in the fiber network for many years.”

Two contractors were selected and finalized just last week. The Togwotee Pass part of the Project was awarded to Track Utilities (Meridian, Idaho) and began last week, and the contractor chosen for the Teton Pass project, Tetra Tech (Denver, Colorado), plans to begin construction this week. They will continue the connection from Jackson to Wilson and over Teton Pass. These larger contractor firms will likely hire local contractors for sub-contract work, creating more opportunities for local jobs.

Construction is now underway in East Jackson and will continue through the spring and summer, with very limited impact on local traffic. Silver Star has consulted with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Teton County, the Town of Jackson and others to create the most convenient, practical and environmentally sensitive construction route and method. Construction for the “core area” in town will cease for the June-September tourist season, and actual construction activities for a given area will last only a matter of a few days. The Teton Broadband Project is anticipated to be completed by October 2012 or before.

Bids Being Accepted for Remodel Project in Jackson

April 13, 2011

Sealed proposals for the construction, including the supply of necessary Labor, materials, and equipment, of a building remodel as described below:

Project Number: NT10BIX5570078, Expanding Greater Yellowstone Area Broadband Opportunities (Jackson Remodel), Company Name: Silver Star Communications; Exchange: Jackson, Wyoming; County: Teton; State: Wyoming; shall be received at the following location and time: Address: Silver Star Communications, PO Box 226,104101 US Hwy 89, Freedom, WY 83120; Bid Date: May 10, 2011; Time: 2:00 P.M., MST, at which time the proposals shall be publicly opened and read. The project shall consist of a remodel of an existing building at 435 E Kelly Ave in Jackson into a telecommunications central office; the time for Completion of Interior Construction of the Project shall be July 15, 201; the time for the Completion of the Project shall be August 15, 2011. Liquidated damages in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500) per day apply for each and every day that construction is delayed after giving effect to extensions of time as provided for in the contract.

The Contract and Plans with all necessary forms and other documents for Bidders in electronic format may be obtained from Owner, by contacting Joanne McTigue at 208-354-6752. The Contract and Plans sheets may be examined at the offices of the Owner/Engineer.

Bidders shall file with the Engineer at least five (5) days in advance of the scheduled Bid Opening, the Bidder’s Qualifications. Questions relating to Bidder’s Qualifications shall be resolved prior to the Bid Opening date.

Silver Star Communications Sets March 17, 2011 for Pre-Bid Meeting

March 1, 2011

Silver Star announced March 17, 2011 as the date for the Pre-Bid meeting for contractors interested in participating in the Teton Broadband Project, which includes two fiber optic broadband projects. Silver Star Communications plans to install 109 miles of fiber optic cable using two routes, over Togwotee and Teton Passes beginning early this summer.

“With this connection, we can literally act on a global stage, in real time, with incredible speed and capacity. This project will transform the way we do business in Wyoming,” said Silver Star Communications Chief Operations Officer Ron McCue.

The Teton Broadband Project will expand existing broadband service to improve vital communication needs to schools, government offices, fire/EMS departments, hospitals and medical locations as well as Wyoming power companies. In addition to creating jobs and employing regional, the fiber, when completed, will enhance business recruitment opportunities throughout the region. The project is the brainchild of Silver Star Communications, a Wyoming based communications and technology company, offering broadband and wireless services to Jackson, Star Valley and Teton Valley.  With expertise in wireless phones and data services, SSC offers progressive business solutions as well (i.e., phone systems, video conference, energy control systems).  They were awarded ARRA funds through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program to execute their vision for connecting Wyoming communities to each other, and national and global networks.

Contractors interested in submitting proposals for either the Togwotee or Teton Pass project should attend the Pre-Bid meeting (open to the public) to be held at the Town Hall in Jackson on March 17th at 9 a.m.  The first phase of the Teton Broadband Project is set to begin in late spring or early summer of this year. Karen M. Ricks, P.E., Silver Star Communications Engineering Manager points out, “We are excited to begin this work to really connect Wyoming communities with each other and, honestly, the global business stage. The Jackson community has been great to work with, and we look forward to helping them with faster and more reliable connectivity.”  Interested bidders are required to attend this important meeting, unless the bidder has been notified prior to the meeting, that their attendance is not required.

Silver Star Communications will be holding a Pre-Bid meeting on March 17, 2011 at 9 a.m. at the Town Hall in Jackson, WY. Sealed proposals for the Teton Broadband Project will be due April 5, 2011. More information on the pre-bid meeting and the project is available online at www.silverstar.com/tetonbroadband.  For Plans and Specifications for both projects and for more information on the March 17, 2011 Pre-Bid Meeting, please call Joanne McTigue at 208.354.6752 or 877.354.3300.

7080 Notice to Bidders
7357 Notice to Bidders

Silver Star Communications Awarded Two NTIA Grant Awards for Broadband Projects

July 2010

Silver Star Communications received two awards from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) through the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program to complete fiber optic projects from Jackson through Moran and over Togwotee Pass and from Jackson to Victor over Teton Pass, significantly advancing the broadband capabilities in the region and improving the reliability of communications in the State of Wyoming.

This exciting investment in broadband infrastructure means that the fiber optic network that serves northwestern Wyoming will extend and be connected to networks the currently stop at Togwotee and Teton passes. The extension of the fiber – from Jackson through Moran and over Togwotee Pass, and then from Jackson through Wilson and over Teton Pass to the Idaho border near Victor, Idaho – will change the way our ideas, inspiration and business innovation will travel. Specific results include:

• Completion of a Wyoming fiber optic ring around the State of Wyoming and into southeast Idaho consisting of 120 miles of additional cable, connecting our communities and businesses and ideas – with the most cutting edge fiber technology available – to major networks all over the country;
• Advancing broadband capabilities (i.e., increased Internet speeds and more broadband capacity improving services for key community anchors including emergency services, schools, hospitals, libraries, national park headquarters, and town and county offices) to coincide with the ever expanding technologies made available through Ibooks, webstreaming, video conferencing, etc.;
• Increased reliability of all communication services (i.e., mobile phone, landline, and broadband) within the State of Wyoming due to the redundancy that will be created by closing the gap.

The following documents provide a project summary, fact sheet and more for each project.

Teton Pass | Togwotee Pass