The Marking Minute -Presco: Fiber-Build and FTTH Project Space

When the onset of the pandemic pushed everyone back into their homes, one of our greatest assets became having uninterrupted access to the internet. While fiber to the home initiatives (FTTH) were on the up and coming prior to COVID-19, the pandemic brought a slush of funding and attention to the industry. National Account Manager of Trident Solutions-Presco, an infrastructure-focused electric company, Erik Zimmer sits down with host Tyler Kern to discuss the future of Electric Utilities and Electric Cooperatives in our communities.

Nowadays, internet connectivity is extremely important. Zimmer said of his own experience during the height of at-home activities, “I’m working from home…And we had a DSL circuit from a local provider and we couldn’t all four be connected at the same time,” and although Zimmer found a quick solution through fiber, he remarked on other experiences, “people had to start shift working, shift schooling” just to make things fit with their wifi.

To fix these connectivity and broadband issues, Tier 1 electric companies couldn’t do much. But Tier 2 and 3 providers started looking towards fiber to the home solutions.

Zimmer remarked on the work from home movement affecting the need for fiber, “Now all of sudden as people are contemplating ‘hey do I want to leave the city and move to a smaller town?’ they start looking at those communities, where #1, there’s already fiber to the home, or #2, there is an initiative and a movement, many times by the electric co-op, to drive fiber to the home.”

With fiber, people who work in New York City can move to rural places and not worry about connectivity issues. Kids who learn in a hybrid environment can utilize learning tools online with high-speed connections. Even entertainment, Zimmer said, is important to decompress, “You need that stronger stream of data coming in to deliver that better quality.”

To introduce fiber to the home, Trident-Solutions partners with these utilities and co-ops to help create the next step. Talking to those who are ready for what’s next in broadband, Zimmer said not to hesitate in talking with leadership, “Take action, get involved.”

To learn more information about Trident Solutions-Presco and their fiber initiatives visit their website or connect with Erik Zimmer on LinkedIn.