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Portland-based firm offers high-speed fiber optic in Markle

Community Fiber Solutions, based in Portland, announced Tuesday, Jan. 15, that it is now offering fiber optic Internet and phone service in Markle.
Photo by Cindy Klepper.

A Portland-based company is now offering high speed fiber optic Internet and phone service to businesses and residents in Markle.

Mark Clemens, operations manager of Community Fiber Solutions in Portland, announced Tuesday, Jan. 15, that fiber optic service became available to the company's partner businesses in Markle on Jan. 1 and to the community as a whole on Jan. 7.

Fiber optic cables transmit at very high speeds with minimal loss in quality or data. Because of the high cost of installing fiber optic networks, most companies are reluctant to serve rural communities, Clemens said.
CFS, a subsidiary of Benton Ridge (OH) Telephone Company, was founded three years ago in Portland, IN, with a goal of providing fiber optic service in that community, he said.

Over the past year, CFS has installed 164 miles of fiber optic infrastructure in the areas of Fort Wayne and Muncie, as well as the Lima, OH, area.

CFS worked with several Markle businesses and Huntington County officials to bring the service to Markle.

Markle businesses partnering with CFS on the project were United REMC, Novae Corporation, Wayne Metals and ALH Building Systems. Also assisting with the project were the Huntington County Commissioners, Huntington County United Economic Development Corporation and iAB financial bank.

Over the past six months, CFS installed approximately five miles of fiber optic cabling in Markle to offer Internet speeds in excess of one gigabit.

Community Fiber Solutions plans to offer fiber optic television in Markle in the future.

For information, call 866-246-9580.

Complete caption: Community Fiber Solutions, based in Portland, announced Tuesday, Jan. 15, that it is now offering fiber optic Internet and phone service in Markle. Joining in the announcement were (from left) Mark Miller, vice president/treasurer of Community Fiber Solutions; Rick Rogers, director of IT at Wayne Metals in Markle, a partner in the project; Oliver Reelsen, of Novae Corp. in Markle, also a project partner; Mark Clemens, operations manager of Community Fiber Solutions; Steve Bermes, president and CEO of Novae Corp.; and Mark Wickersham, director of Huntington County Economic Development.