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	The Manchester Enterprise A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

20/20 plans county wireless expansion

Company seeks towers to reach rural areas, asks for patience

By Daniel Lai, Editor

PUBLISHED: January 17, 2008

Though it may be slow coming, plans to expand high speed Internet access to Manchester and all of Washtenaw County are still on the horizon.

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That's the message Dan Skratek, project manager for 20/20 Communications conveyed to members of the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce Monday.

"For this area, Manchester is lucky to have Ray (Berg) here," Skratek said. "He is one of the only original members of the Wireless Washtenaw Steering Committee who has stuck with the program and kept us on our toes."

Skratek said the lack of developmental progress in 2007 was due mostly to the state's stagnant economy.

"We have been desperately looking for money to fund the project's expansion," he said. "When the economy got skidish, investors backed off and we had to reinvest some of our money just to get the program going."

Skratek said recently the company added three additional 900 MHz radio transmitters on top of the Manchester water tower to expand broadband access from approximately 7 to 28 sq. miles.

"We have six customers installed with another 34 waiting," he said. "We're hoping to get 100 people installed very soon."

Skratek said 20/20 is currently looking for private towers to add more transmission antennas in order to expand the Wireless Washtenaw coverage area.

"As we become fully funded, we will build more towers, but right now we are relying highly on private individuals who will allow us to use their towers," he said.

Skratek said there is no way to tell when or if the company will become fully funded in the immediate future.

"We're not sure when it will happen," he said. "We are continuing discussions with private equity investors to secure financing for the project. Deploying wireless service throughout Washtenaw County is expected to cost approximately $20 million, all of which must come from private investors."

Skratek said approximately 20 percent of the total deployment cost is required in order to begin county-wide deployment

"Right now, I'm pleased to see this Manchester expansion going on and we should know more in the coming weeks," he said.

Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce President Ray Berg said it is vital to include wireless access in rural areas.

"I stuck with this project because I believed in the true mission of Wireless Washtenaw which is servicing the rural areas of the county whose people are operating at a disadvantage because they cannot get the connectivity they need."

For more information on the expansion project, contact 20/20 Communications at 1-734-973-2020, Ext 821.

Editor Daniel Lai can be reached at 428-8173 or dlai@heritage.com.