Firm hopes to build on wireless Internet

NORWOOD — A fledgling Internet company is ready to beam its wireless broadband signal to county residents living off the beaten path, hoping to build a customer base of rural computer users tired of slow dial-up modems.

Since January, Lisbon resident Chad D. Rice, co-owner of New Horizons Wireless, has been meeting with officials in the towns of Norfolk and Lisbon and in the villages of Norwood and Heuvelton, seeking permission to place wireless transmitters on each community's municipal water tower.

Mr. Rice said Wednesday he has now received the go-ahead from Norwood, Heuvelton and Lisbon and expects the Norfolk Town Council to grant permission to use its water tower in the coming weeks.

As a result, Mr. Rice said, he has formed a wireless grid capable of providing broadband Internet service across a 400-square-mile swath of St. Lawrence County.

"Lisbon and Heuvelton should be on line in about a month and Norwood is already up," Mr. Rice said.

Mr. Rice projects his company will have 100 customers within the next six weeks, a small base he hopes to build on. He calculates there are upward of 16,000 households within St. Lawrence County that are either underserved when it comes to Internet access — or simply not served at all.

"We've been in negotiations with several municipalities since January and it's been a long road," Mr. Rice said. "I have been very persistent in wanting to bring this to the community, to not only have a business, but to provide a much-needed service. I can't tell you how many home-based business people I've talked to that are still on dial-up and can't wait for it to come to their area."

St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Patricia L. McKeown said she is familiar with Mr. Rice and his company and welcomes his effort to help provide fast Internet service to rural residents.

"All I know is that no matter who it is, this chamber will welcome anybody who can provide service anywhere in St. Lawrence County," Ms. McKeown said. "The field is wide open for anyone who wants to connect people."

Mr. Rice said the wireless technology being used by his company will allow customers to sign up for a broadband connection for as little as $27.99 per month. He said the only installation required will be a small receiver that will be mounted at a user's home.

If successful, New Horizons Wireless hopes to set up a larger grid utilizing farm silos and other tall structures that could expand wireless broadband service countywide, according to Mr. Rice.

ON THE NET

New Horizons: http://new

horizonswireless.com