The Newberry Springs Community Alliance announces that through its efforts in working with a number of collaborating entities, Frontier Communications has agreed to bring Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service to Newberry Springs.

    In an e-mail to a Newberry Springs Community Alliance representative, Ted Stimpfel, Frontier Communication's Associate Director of Construction - Western Region, Rodney King, states that deployment of DSL in Newberry Springs is expected by the 2nd Quarter of 2018.

    While DSL is not fiber optic, and uses far slower and less dependable telephone lines, it is a realistic installation for Newberry's scattered population.  How well it will work will largely depend upon the infrastructure that Frontier designs into the system; such as how many DSL central distribution points are established in widespread Newberry.  DSL works well only within a few miles of a central station, beyond that, the speed drops.

    In a normal home scenario, a DSL modem box that provides a WiFi signal for a couple hundred foot radius, is simply plugged into a telephone line.  The DSL subchannel is operated on the voice telephone line without any detectable notice.  The voice phone works as normal.

    Funding for the Frontier DSL infrastructure, according to Stimpfel, is expected to come from the federal Connect America Fund - Phase II (CAF II) allotment acquired by Frontier to link rural, disadvantaged communities to the World-Wide Web (www).

    Stimpfel hopes that Frontier will adopt a discounted monthly service fee for low-income households similiar to programs offered by AT&T and many other carrier Internet Service Providers (ISPs).  "Pouring money into an Internet infrastructure for an improverished rural area is not beneficial unless the local residents can afford the service," says Stimpfel.

    At the time of this news release, the expected speeds of the DSL service is not known.  Under CAF II guidelines, says Stimpfel, "the minimum download speed is 10mbps, 1mbps upload.  Under a special exemption, the download speed can be dropped to 6mbps under CAF II in very difficult to serve areas; however, that is not expected in Newberry."  With sufficient central distribution stations, 100% minimum speed is obtainable.

    The Newberry Springs Community Alliance began lobbying for high-speed broadband service approximately two years ago, deeming it a critical element for Newberry's economic development, education and safety of its residents, and social lifestyle.

    During a California Public Utilities Commission public hearing in July 2015 in Claremont, California, on Frontier Communication's proposed takeover of Verizon's landlines, Stimpfel asserted before PUC Commissioner Catherine Sandoval and Judge Karl J. Bemesderfer the need for broadband service in Newberry Springs.

    Teaming with the legal counsel for the California Emerging Technology Fund, the Newberry Springs Community Alliance prepared a declaration that was presented before the California Pubic Utilities Commission; and the Alliance solicited the local chamber, property owners association, family service center, CEQA-NOW, and the CSD, who all assisted in arranging letters being sent to the state commission.

    The Newberry Springs Community Alliance also teamed with the Inland Empire Regional Broadband Consortium, and others, in displaying the need of dependable broadband service in Newberry.  The modus operandi, says Stimpfel, was to keep the name Newberry Springs in the broadband forefront.  Whenever possible, the community's name was lobbied.

    For the July 12, 2016, County of San Bernardino's Board of Supervisors' meeting, First District supervisor, and the board's Vice Chairman, Robert Lovingood, arranged for Frontier Communications' regional leaders to attend the meeting to listen to, and address, complaints from county businesses and residents over landline and Internet connectivity problems.

    Stimpfel met with Regina Weatherspoon-Bell of Lovingood's staff at Lovingood's Victorville office the week prior to the board's meeting.  Weatherspoon-Bell felt that Lovingood would welcome comments at the board's upcoming meeting on the "Digital Divide" that separates rural, economically struggling Newberry Springs from sharing in the opportunities afforded by broadband that most third-world countries now enjoy.

    During the July 12 , 2016 meeting, Stimpfel spoke before the board and Frontier Communication officials stressing the broadband need in Newberry.  After the meeting, Stimpfel networked with Frontier's staff.  What resulted was Frontier's announcement 3-days later that DSL is now being planned for Newberry Springs.

    Stimpfel credits this accomplishment on all those who collaborated in keeping the name Newberry Springs 'squeaking;'  those who sent in letters to the California PUC, and those who worked within their local organizations to get the word out.

    Stimpfel expressed the belief that Frontier Communications is a fantastic, growing company that has always desired to extend its Internet connection to Newberry Springs.  That it was only a matter of having the thinly populated community demonstrate its support for the costly infrastructure.

    Special appreciation and recognition must be given, says Stimpfel, to Supervisor Robert Lovingood.  In bringing Frontier before the county's board, Lovingood "provided the opportunity of Newberry's broadband need to be lobbied; and that led to Frontier selecting Newberry Springs as a winning recipient of its limited CAF II funds."