The ultimate goal for a communication network is affordable high speed lines with redundant access if something goes wrong. Unfortunately, until recently that type of a network did not exist in Western Nevada County. County Chief Information Officer Steve Monaghan says that twice in recent years there have been breaks in the major lines into Nevada County. The most recent break causing cable and phone service to drop for a large number of residents.

Click here to listen to Steve Monaghan

Monaghan says the second case, which occurred several years ago and involved AT&T, caused catastrophic loss of communications systems.

Click here to listen to Steve Monaghan

The line that broke runs along Highway 49 into Nevada County.
As a result the county worked with AT&T and a second line was installed that runs up Highway 20 and the county now has redundant services for AT&T customers including the County Administration Building.

In order to provide true broadband services, larger fiber optic installations- called a “middle mile” project- are taking place in Nevada County that will provide high speed redundancy to major hubs in the county but does not provide service to individual households. A proposed project, being developed by Spiral Internet, will provide the “last mile” connections to each individual household. The project is awaiting funding from the Public Utilities Commission. Phase one of the project could be built in the next two years. Phases two and three are estimated to completed in approximately seven or eight years.