Ron Ham on steps of the Capitol Building in DC

Coastal Broadband CEO, Ron Ham, recently visited Washington DC to attend meetings regarding Rural Broadband through the Southeast and other parts of the US.

Coastal Broadband is dedicated to leveraging the political process, to urge lawmakers to reserve the D Block of 700 MHz licensed frequency, that did not sell in the recent FCC auctions for public - private partnerships, to bring High Speed Wireless Broadband service to Rural America, while offering free or reduced service to public safety and agencies with National Security Interest. Our goal is to convince the FCC that, through a modest application fee by county or region, and a recurring per customer fee in exchange for the use of the license, the FCC would make more money, over time, and would have a source of revenue that could support the management of the process. This just makes sense!!

This is just another testimony of the dedication that Coastal Broadband is demonstrating to frontier the Wireless High Speed Internet industry so that Coastal and other sister companies like it can deliver High Speed Wireless Internet service to Rural America that is still stuck on dial up today.

Coastal Broadband Recognized

Coastal Broadband was recently recognized in two of the presentations given at the Wireless Communities of Georgia Conference that highlights wireless initiatives and communities in Georgia. The Alma Telephone Company spoke on their case and explained what trouble they were having implementing and operating their wireless project until they called on Coastal. Coastal took over the operation, migrated the City of Screven Georgia to Coastal's standard Fixed Wireless configuration and had the system upgraded and everyone on-line reliably in about 90 days.

Another presenter, Lee Conner, Chairman of the South Georgia Regional Information Technology Authority (SGRita) announced that they had contracted with Coastal Broadband to manage their $3.7 million Fixed Wireless Project in South Georgia. This is an expansion of the multi-city wireless Pilot project that Coastal took over early last summer for the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District.

These cases are more documented proof that the High Speed Wireless Industry throughout the South continually recognizes the importance of selecting an experienced and qualified partner to launch large scale wireless initiatives. And more times than not they are selecting Coastal Broadband as their partner.

Coastal Broadband has continued its growth and recognition as a premier Wireless Internet provider in Georgia. Coastal has cultivated relationships in the marketplace by producing excellent results and service.

Ronald E. Ham

Coastal Broadband Sponsors FFA Gala

Coastal Broadband proudly helped sponsor the annual Future Farmers of America (FFA) Foundation Dinner at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. Governor Sonny Purdue was apparently impressed with Coastal Broadband General Manager, Michael Hendrix and myself last night. The Governor was quoted as saying, "I bet you two are really big men in the Wireless Business." LOL The Governor liked this picture as it made him look slim. :-) We had a great time and were honored to be able to help support this wonderful program.

Items were auctioned off in silent and open auctions to raise money for the FFA Foundation. The winner of a quail hunt with the Governor paid $10,000 for the opportunity to go hunting with Sonny. We verified that Vice President Chaney would not be in attendance. We also bid on several items at a silent auction but didn't bring anything home. There was a Mark Richt autographed football that brought over $500 and several by Larry Munson that brought over $100 each. The 4 press box Braves tickets brought over $1000. All proceeds went to the FFA.

We had a lot of fun and some great food and fellowship in the beautiful setting of the Georgia Aquarium. All of the FFA state officers were there. Foundation chairman Marty McLendon, who is also the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District Chairman, came by and personally thanked us for being there. We had the opportunity to visit with US Senator Johnny Isakson, former Congressman Lindsay Thomas (who is a relative of the family), Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, Congressman Sanford Bishop and many business associates from all over Georgia.

Coastal also recently supported our local chapter of the FFA by purchasing a hog at the Annual Spring Hog Show and Sale. So, we are supporters of the local and state associations of this wonderful program. As many of you know, my father Huey R. Ham, was a proud FFA Sponsor for over 25 years at Brantley County High School. I'm honored to have the opportunity to continue a relationship with this program that continues to groom boys and girls for a life after high school.

We had a great time for a wonderful cause.

Ronald E. Ham
Gov. Sonny Purdue with Coastal General Manager Michael Hendrix

Coastal Secures Two of Six Tower Locations for 2008 Expansions (March 2008)

Coastal General Manager Michael Hendrix has acquired two of the six tower locations that Coastal has planned for 2008. Three new Rohn communication towers are on order and should be here by the end of March. The goal is to have one in place by the end of March and the second in place by the end of April. With the opportunities coming up in Folkston, we may need to divert these towers to Folkston and order replacements with the capital funds we put in place for that deployment.

Once we have had a look at the equipment we are currently testing we'll know more about what and where we need to put up.

Coastal Broadband in talks with Charlton County residents dumped by their provider (February 2008)

Folkston – Homeland Google Map
Recently, many residences in Charlton County Georgia were dumped by their dial-up provider. This brought to light the need for services in our neighboring county. Coastal Broadband has met with Bud Morris, Charlton County – City of Folkston Joint Development Authority (JDA) chairman, to discuss the area in need and to attempt to define how Coastal could deploy its service in the area to help this neighboring community out.

The initial round of data is been acquired and engineering is underway to see how best we can help. New equipment just recently released by the FCC may assist Coastal in providing premium quality service to Folkston. This would lead to an eventual entire system upgrade for Coastal's current network.

Our goal is to help out our neighbors if we can build a solid business case where this system can fit in with out existing network. We aren't looking to get rich but we need to make sure we have the capital in place to build out the towers and to equip them without creating unmanageable debt. We have two or three ways to do this and we'll select the one that is fastest to deploy.

To read the article about the citizens of Charlton who were dumped by their provider go to jacksonville.com.

Coastal Selected Project Manager for $3.7 million Wireless Deployment (January 2008)

In January of this year Coastal Broadband was selected by the South Georgia Regional Information Technology Authority (SGRITA) to manage their $3.7 million Wireless Broadband Project which will cover 95% of Baker, Early, miller, Calhoun and Mitchel counties in South West Georgia. The One Georgia initiative managed for Governor Sonny Purdue by Nancy Cobb awarded the Five County initiative $2.7 million in grant funds. The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation district pledged $1 million in matching funds.

Phase one of the project is already underway where a high speed wireless backbone will be deployed over 17 towers in a ring around the five county area. Four of the five county school systems have contracted with SGRITA to utilize the new County network providing much needed revenue to subsidize the rural and agricultural components of the network. The goal is to have all schools online before September 1, 2007 and to launch the phase II project, the rural broadband deployment to the 5 counties, at or shortly prior to that time.

This type of true community partnership with the blessing of capital funds from the Governor and his support teams will make this project a long standing success. And more importantly it will serve as the example of how other communities across Georgia and other rural states across America can parter to deploy reliable High Speed Wireless networks.

Coastal Broadband Receives Microwave Radio Certification in Orlando, Florida (October 2007)

Two of Coastal Broadband's own traveled to Orlando and attended a three day class in Microwave Radio configuration and installation. Michael Hendrix and Ronald Ham attended the training. This training and certifications were provided by the primary equipment provider for Coastal Broadband's existing network and many other Wireless Broadband Networks across the United States.

This training demonstrates Coastal's commitment to its employees and to keeping the Radio Frequency (RF) and wired networks upgraded such that they provide the best experience for its customers.Equipment capable of providing Wireless Gigabit service

Coastal Broadband Takes over Multi-County Pilot Wireless Network (August 2007)

Map of Arlington, Morgan and Edison Georgia. Home of the Flint River Pilot Soil and Water Conservation Pilot Broadband Program
Coastal Broadband has taken over the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation Broadband Pilot project. There system is in much need of repairs and re-engineering. With the full 5 county Broadband Project on the verge of approval which will replace the existing pilot, the instructions were to just get the system stable and not spend any more money that necessary. Marty McLendon, chairman of the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, which reaches from the Atlanta Airport to the Florida, Georgia – Alabama land corner, has overseen this project since day one.

Just a few weeks into the take over of the operation, Coastal had the system operating without issues and one tenant on the network, Bob McLendon, reported to Marty that, “The system is faster and more reliable than it has ever been.”

With the five county Broadband Project in the last stages of approval, we are hopeful that Coastal will have acquired enough credibility in the Georgia Wireless Broadband business that we'll have a part in that project.

Coastal Broadband Takes over Screven Wireless System (June 2007)

Wayne Co. Courthouse
Coastal Broadband was asked by the Alma Telephone company to take over the management of their City of Screven Wireless system that was put in with one of the first Georgia Based United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utility Service (RUS) Broadband Grants.

Alma Telephone had installed a system and was in the third year of operation. The system was in need of an upgrade and struggling due to some initial wireless engineering short falls. Coastal took over the operations and was able to convert the entire network to its standard equipment configuration. The quality of service has improved and 6 months into continued operations the number of customers on that Wireless Broadband Network is over double what it was when Coastal took over. One local citizen at the community center stated, “I wanted to thank you for putting making our service even better than it was when it was first put in. This community center is all I have since I live miles in the country and can't get anything but dial up.”

Coastal is working on plans to expand service and Wayne County is certainly an area that is in need.

Coastal Broadband in Discussions with Broadband South (April 2007)

Coastal Broadband in Discussions with $33 million Grant Recipient, Broadband South. (April 2007)

When Coastal Broadband was initially formed in late 2002, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utility Services (RUS) Broadband Loan Project was launched with then partner Tri State Broadband. Over time Tri State Broadband partnered with Main Street Broadband (MSB) to for a new group, Broadband South (BBS). This group is the recipient of a $34 million USDA RUS Broadband Loan grant. They are currently working with manufacturers to define the right wireless technologies to insall over 85 Wireless Broadband system in over 60 cities throughout the Southeast and beyond.

Coastal and BBS are in talks as they are very interested in leveraging Coastal Broadband's extensive wireless broadband operating experience to help deploy this massive project.
BBS and CBB with the Undersecretary presenting the check.