BEATRICE – A Cambridge, Nebraska company has one area of Beatrice completed with conduit installation for a high-speed fiber network in Beatrice. Pinpoint Communications is doing work in fourteen areas it describes as fiberhoods, with a south area of the city the first one completed.


"We've got a timeline of being substantially completed by the end of March of next year. Right now, construction seems to be right on target to be fairly close to the end of this year, that we'll have a lot of this stuff out of our way."


Pinpoint President Tom Shoemaker told the mayor and city council Monday night that the company and its subcontractors are doing all they can to address questions residents have and address any complaints.


The installation involves bored-in facilities and some aerial connections…across fourteen areas when the project is completed. The next areas in which work will be done are in the east part of the city. The project, or backbone of the project, is a ring that is being constructed to tie in city electric facilities. Half of the twelve sections of the ring are completed and Shoemaker expects in the next month-and-a-half, that will be completed.


Shoemaker says the Beatrice project is unique in one aspect.  "Normally, we've been going into the market with a one gig product. This will be our first unique market of going into a two-and-a-half gig market."


The hope is to finish the project in about a year…with the first customers coming on in early September in the first fiberhood in south Beatrice.
The project involves burying vaults at ground level and in some cases, installing pedestals. From there, drops to homes are either buried, or aerial in some cases.
"T and H is our subcontractor. They do a lot of work in the city...and they have been knocking it out of the park, in my opinion. They've done a great job."


Crews going into neighborhoods leave information on doors, including who to contact with questions or concerns. The company does all of the in-home installations. Areas where equipment is buried are restored by the company. Council members and Mayor Bob Morgan complimented the company on how they are working with the public.


"Having the building here and having access...when you don't have a representative in town and have to run to Lincoln to get anything taken care of, it's a pretty big inconvenience. It is a strong selling point."


The company has a headquarters on North 6th and plans to have a local presence with the project.  Shoemaker says Pinpoint has applied for state grants to expand to some small areas at the edge of the city, not included in the original project area.