Calhoun Fiber, Winchester, IL (2026)

01/04/2024

In December, we crossed the 1,000 total fiber connections mark. This a huge milestone for everyone who has worked on Calhoun Fiber. We began this journey in 2014 when we applied but were not awarded funding through the FCC Rural Broadband Experiment.

The co-op and our board of directors were determined to make reliable, high-speed internet a reality in Calhoun County. In 2016, we began a two-year process of preparing for the Connect America Funds (CAF) II auction. The co-op made bids for blocks across our territory in 2018, but again, the co-op was not awarded funds for Calhoun County.

The co-op continued to look for opportunities to bring fiber to the county, and we were able to do this in 2019, first bringing fiber internet to Calhoun and Brussels schools. In 2020, Illinois Electric Cooperative was awarded a $3,443,670 grant through Connect Illinois. We completed work for the grant-awarded towns this year.

Crossing 1,000 connections feels good for all of us at the co-op, and we're certainly proud of the accomplishment, but we still have more work to do before everyone is connected. We have shared two maps, north and south Calhoun County, attached to this post. These maps give an estimated timeline for completion. We expect to complete work in Calhoun around the first quarter of 2025.

Calhoun Fiber is a multi-year project. Once all is said and done, there will be 421 miles of fiber optic cable ran in Calhoun. Along with the significant amount of construction to be completed, easements are critical to the project. Easements can delay construction significantly. If you have not yet signed an easement, please do so and encourage your neighbor to sign one as well. If you have any questions, we have an extensive Frequently Asked Questions section on CalhounFiber.com. We can also be reached at 1-800-468- 4732.

07/03/2023

Contractor crews are finishing up construction in Kampsville. Over the next several weeks, crews we will have crews doing restoration in Hardin, Batchtown, and Kampsville. Restoration includes backfilling potholes, leveling any surfaces we may have disturbed, and reseeding with straw any disturbed areas where needed. We appreciate everyone's patience, especially in the areas where we are no longer working, as we make it back for the restoration.

Calhoun Fiber is a multi-year project. Once all is said and done, there will be 421 miles of fiber optic cable run in Calhoun. Along with the significant amount of construction to be completed, easements are critical to the project. Easements can delay construction significantly. If you still need to sign an easement, please do so and encourage your neighbor to sign one as well.

If you have any questions, please call us at 1-800-468- 4732.

05/08/2023

Crews are currently building down Lincoln Valley Road and Schleeper Hollow Road south of Hardin. Construction is also underway down Smith Lane and Tepen Hollow south of Batchtown. Kampsville underground fiber construction has begun as well.

If anyone lives along the taps mentioned above, they should contact us for an initial appointment if we still need to meet with them. Contacting us will ensure that your residence or business will receive the free drop during construction.

Crews will be building along Cove Road south of Brussels next. If anyone lives along our existing fiber that has not had a service drop built to them, and is interested in fiber internet service, please contact us as well.

Calhoun Fiber is a multi-year project. Once all is said and done, there will be 421 miles of fiber optic cable run in Calhoun. Along with the significant amount of construction to be completed, easements are critical to the project. Easements can delay construction significantly. If you still need to sign an easement, please do so and encourage your neighbor to sign one as well.

If you have any questions, please call us at 1-800-468- 4732.

*** The postcard in the photo is only mailed or left at the door of residences or businesses that are ready for service. If you receive one of these postcards and would like fiber service, please give us a call.

02/17/2023

Co-op and contractor crews continue fiber work in Calhoun County. We have delivered “Last Call” postcards to those residents in Hardin that are currently ready for activated service. We have placed a deadline of the first of May for those wanting to take advantage of the free install promotion. If you have received the postcard, please call, and we will schedule you.

We have begun constructing drops in Batchtown and will finish building the remaining drops in Brussels, Winneberg, and Hardin. As drops continue to be completed, we will contact the consumer as soon as we finish testing and they are ready to be installed. Activations in Batchtown will begin on the first of March.

We will receive bids for Kampsville before the first of March and award the bid. Construction for Kampsville will begin in March.

Calhoun Fiber is a multi-year project. Once all is said and done, there will be 421 miles of fiber optic cable ran in Calhoun. Along with the significant amount of construction to be completed, easements are critical to the project. Easements can delay construction significantly. If you still need to sign an easement, please do so and encourage your neighbor to sign one as well.

If you have any questions, we have an extensive Frequently Asked Questions section on CalhounFiber.com. We can also be reached at 1-800-468- 4732.

12/05/2022

For Illinois Electric Cooperative's December center section in Illinois Country Living magazine, the co-op shared the story of Calhoun Fiber. The article gives a timeline of events that led us to today, where over 500 consumers have fiber optic internet in Calhoun and we continue to build so that more can be connected. The article also shares about current construction efforts in Batchtown and a discussion on construction timelines. Please take a moment to read the article on our website at the link below.

Read more → https://e-co-op.com/fiber-in-calhoun/

11/07/2022

Work in Hardin is finishing up. We will need to look at doing a pole attachment for one small section of Hardin due to rock below the surface. Construction crews began work in Batchtown as part of the Connect Illinois grant on October 27th. Crews are working on the main line, and building drops off it as it is being constructed.

We are beginning to go door-to-door this week during the day in the area inside the blue line shown on the Batchtown map accompanying this post. We will be doing some door-to-door visits in the evening starting next week. If we miss you, we will leave a postcard with information to contact us at to set up an appointment to discuss details of your installation.

Calhoun Fiber is a multi-year project. Once all is said and done, there will be 421 miles of fiber optic cable ran in Calhoun. Along with the significant amount of construction to be completed, easements are critical to the project. Easements can delay construction significantly. If you have not yet signed an easement, please do so and encourage your neighbor to sign one as well.

09/26/2022

Work in Hardin continues as co-op and contractor crews enter phase three of construction. After Hardin, construction crews will move to Batchtown. Construction in Batchtown will be starting in October. We continue our construction build-out in other parts of the county in locations based on our easements and the make-ready construction to our existing electric distribution system.

Calhoun Fiber is a multi-year project. Once all is said and done, there will be 421 miles of fiber optic cable ran in Calhoun. Along with the significant amount of construction to be completed, easements are critical to the project. Easements can delay construction significantly. If you have not yet signed an easement, please do so and encourage your neighbor to sign one as well.

If you have any questions, we have an extensive Frequently Asked Questions section on CalhounFiber.com. We can also be reached at 1-800-468- 4732.

08/26/2022

Kurtis Weber, Design Engineer, shares the latest update on Calhoun fiber construction.

As always, we like to remind everyone this is a multi-year project where we will be running 421 miles of fiber optic cable throughout the county. Each and every day we are closer to that goal. Visit calhounfiber.com for more information or call us at 1-800-468-4732.

06/30/2022

Design Engineer Kurtis Weber discusses the in-ground vaults that many have asked about during construction as well as shares some information on fiber service in Hardin.

As always, we like to remind everyone this is a multi-year project where we will be running 421 miles of fiber optic cable throughout the county. Each and every day we are closer to that goal. Visit calhounfiber.com for more information.

06/06/2022

Construction of phase one in the Hardin Connect Illinois project is completed. We will begin splicing as soon as possible. Once splicing is done, installs will begin for those that are within the phase one area. We will put flyers with a specific marking in mailboxes and/or doors of those residing in the phase one area where construction is complete. We will also be calling individuals in some cases.

Phase two construction in Hardin begins tomorrow, June 7th. If you have not met with us for an initial in-person appointment at your home or business and live within Hardin village limits, please give us a call.

Along with Hardin, we continue our construction buildout in the county in locations based on our easements and the make-ready construction to our existing electric distribution system.

Calhoun Fiber is a multi-year project. Once all is said and done, there will be 421 miles of fiber optic cable ran in Calhoun. Along with the significant amount of construction to be completed, easements are critical to the project. Easements can delay construction significantly. If you have not yet signed an easement, please do so and encourage your neighbor to sign one as well.

If you have any questions, we have an extensive Frequently Asked Questions section on CalhounFiber.com. We can also be reached at 1-800-468- 4732.

Calhoun Fiber

01/04/2024

07/03/2023

05/08/2023

02/17/2023

12/05/2022

11/07/2022

09/26/2022

08/26/2022

06/30/2022

06/06/2022

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