Fiber optic internet is "sprouting" on east side

CULLMAN -  Less than a month after Cullman Electric Cooperative announced a major internet project to build a fiber optic network among its substations, another major announcement was made Thursday, June 18, that  264 miles of lateral fiber lines would also be installed, connecting 12,000 homes and businesses to high speed internet.
The announcement was attended by a grand assembly of Cullman Electric Co-op officials joined by Winston County officials, state legislators and representatives for U.S. Congressman Robert Aderholt, at the Cullman Electric Co-op office in Cullman.
The project, which is being called Sprout Fiber Internet, is being funded along with the fiber optic connection among Cullman Electric’s substations as phase 1 of a multi-faceted project, noted Tim Culpepper, CEO of Cullman Electric Co-op.
The lateral lines of fiber optic, which will be extended from the fiber optic substation connections, will bring fiber optic internet to Addison, Helicon and Nesmith, which will benefit both businesses and homes, Culpepper said.
Fiber lines benefiting Helicon will go into a substation in Cullman County, while fiber optics benefiting Addison will be routed into the Jones Chapel station, Culpepper explained.
In Winston County, the additional fiber will benefit along Highway 278 at Addison from the Cullman County line, traveling on to the Helicon substation.
A downline device in the Arley area, where fiber optic lines can be installed without a substation,  will mean a large section of that area will be affected by high speed internet lines too, according to Culpepper.
Lines will continue along Highway 278 to the Houston area due to connections made at these downline devices, which are not full substations but have breakers and switches to accommodate the installation of fiber,  Culpepper noted.