VVDS
brings wireless Internet to county
By LAURA
HAGAN
lhagan@owentonnewsherald.com
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Company just finished 180-foot tower near Elk Lake
Those wanting wireless Internet access in their homes now have
a local option.
VVDS, Inc.,
a wireless company based out of Elizabethtown, has moved into
downtown Owenton. Since moving into their office on July 23, VVDS
has been busy putting up towers around the county that will allow
wireless access to a number of different areas.
Owen County
is one of seven counties VVDS is working to expand wireless options
in. They are also working in Shelby, Henry, Lee, Breathitt, Casey
and Leslie counties, according to their Web site: www.vvdsi.net.
VVDS, which
stands for Voice, Video and Data Services, has been planning to
move into the county for some time. They have purchased a tower
in Monterey and Divided Ridge. A 180-foot tower near Elk Lake
was completed last Wednesday.
Russ Preston
is president of the company and said he hopes to have most of
Owen County covered by the end of the year.
Each tower
has a signal that reaches 10 miles. In addition to the tower near
Elk Lake, the KET tower by Owen County High School will have VVDS
equipment installed on it on Aug. 15. A third tower, in Sadieville,
will help cover just about all of the west side of the county.
Orders
for home wireless service can be placed at the Seminary Street
office. A technician then comes to the home and installs a receiver
on the outside of the house. The receiver will pick up the tower’s
signal.
To get the service, users are charged a one-time set-up fee of
$100. The $100 can be paid in installments with the monthly bill
or all at once. With the set-up fee, the user will receive Internet
and telephone service. The monthly fee for both Internet and telephone
service is $49.95. Separately each service costs $29.95.
Preston
said though both services are offered, it’s not necessary
to have both.
“You can take one or both,” he said.
Another service VVDS hopes to offer is TV. Preston said he hopes
to have TV broadcast over the Internet by the end of the year.
In two months, cellular phone service will be offered through
the company.
Though
the main company is not based in the county, all customer service
for this area is done through the Owenton office.
“We
focus on local service and contact,” Preston said.
He also
said that he’s received several names of people wanting
wireless service through the company.
“I
think we have 150 names so far,” he said. “We expect
to do very well in Owen County.”
In coming
to Owen County, VVDS made an agreement with the fiscal court.
The company will give county government 5 percent of the net revenue.
“I’m
very excited to have another option for wireless Internet,”
Judge/Executive Billy O’Banion said. “It seems they’ve
made a longterm commitment to the community.”
O’Banion
said VVDS’ commitment to the community is greatly appreciated
and encourages those looking for a faster Internet connection
to contact the company.
The county
had discussed options that would use county money to fund wireless
Internet in the county late last year.
“We’ve
come a long way (since December),” O’Banion said.
The local
VVDS office is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The phone number is 484-8166.
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