Nicollet Co., Lafayette go wireless

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

LAFAYETTE -- A partnership between United Farmer's Cooperative of Lafayette and Hickory Tech of Mankato will bring residents of rural Nicollet County to the forefront of technology.

As a result of the partnership, development of digital wireless Internet service has become reality, with the service becoming available to consumers as early as mid-December.

"We are one of the first counties to be connected to this technology," United Farmer's Cooperative Manager Jeff Nielsen said. "The service provides a connection with T-1 speed and will be capable of full broad band transmission."

With broad-band capability, consumers will be able to receive video television and interactive television services through the wireless system, he said.

"That technology is still down the road, but having the capability will be nice," Nielsen said.

With this technology, connections are 25 times faster than a modem, with almost instantaneous loading of information, he said.

"The service will extend through all of Nicollet County and into New Ulm, eventually," he said. "With this technology in place you can virtually connect to the Internet from your front yard. It is totally wireless technology."

The partnership developed because UFC has offices in seven different communities, making communication difficult between the entities. The cost of traditional systems also is prohibitive, Nielsen said.

"We have experimented with this technology," he said. "It requires towers or tall structures to work effectively. The antenna for the system will be mounted on the elevator tower."

The technology will allow for better communication and overall improvement of the business, he said.

"In the future this system will be capable of transmitting television signals," Nielsen said.

The benefits of this technology are there are no line charges, it is incredibly fast, and is completely wireless. There is also capability for multiple computer connections, he said.

"The radio receiver card replaces the modem in the computer, allowing for easier connections," he said. "Broadband services are not available in rural areas without this type of technology."

One of the keys to the system is an access point and is used for high-speed transfer of data, said Hickory Tech Spokesman Christian Rothe.

"The system will allow for wire transfers in rural banks and will help realtors gather information about multiple listing properties while in the field," he said.

It can also be used in conjunction with global positioning satellites on farm equipment, helping farmers gather data on yields and record it immediately, he said.

"One of the strongest uses will be for public safety," Rothe said. "It can help law enforcement officials and others relay information back to the office at a faster rate of speed than in the past."

Schools will be among the highest users because of access to interactive television and distance education programs, while allowing districts separated by distance to maintain communication with the district office, he said.

It can also be used for medical purposes, allowing officials to monitor medical equipment installed in a private residence electronically.

Once the system is in place, it will function as a virtual private network between individual units in the field, he said.

"The mobility aspect is important in this technology, because any mobile work force can use this via a remote base," Rothe said.

Hickory Tech recently released this technology in Mankato and the first customer, a government agency, is scheduled to sign on in December. The system in Lafayette will be similar to the one in Mankato. The system, when completed, will link together various units within a specific area, he said.

"To access the technology you need a laptop or a personal computer, and a small antenna is required," he said. "One key to this is that the reach is between seven and eight miles. A typical Digital Subscriber Line has a reach of about three miles."

To use the system with a laptop would require a half-inch antenna and a special card to access the system. For a personal computer, there would be a dish about the size of a slice of bread mounted outside, he said.

"This is revolutionary technology and we are very excited about it," Rothe said. "This will help us bridge the digital divide by bringing rural communities up to speed with major metropolitan areas."

Officials are still determining if there will be a charge for installation of outside antennas, as well as costs for access cards for laptop computers. Prices will be finalized in December before consumers are invited to get connected, he said.

"Any system that can be connected to the Internet can make use of this technology," he said. "Small communities can stop being left behind in the digital revolution."

Other partners in the project are Sprint and XtraTyme.