Malcolm Mitchell, Super Bowl Champion, digital equity ambassador and Founder of the Share the Magic Foundation, joined community leaders in Cleveland on Tuesday to share his story and highlight the positive impacts that affordable Internet access can have on improving outcomes and closing the digital divide among the nation’s youth. Cox Communications partnered with Mitchell to launch his newest children’s book, A World Within Reach.
Expanding Broadband Access
During the community leaders event, hosted by IEC and Cox, the organizations shared information about a fiber cooperative effort they announced last year to provide multi-gig symmetrical Internet service to IEC’s nearly 20,000 member households.
“Our members have voiced their need for high-speed Internet through surveys over the years,” IEC CEO Todd Schroeder said. “We knew we could open those doors for them faster if we also opened our minds as a cooperative and made this a team effort with Cox instead of forging ahead on our own. Our members deserved high-speed Internet two decades ago, and in the cooperative spirit, we’re stepping in and providing a bridge for Cox to cross that divide.”
While the cooperative is investing some of its own capital, building out the middle mile of fiber to seven counties is an expensive – and expansive – undertaking. To alleviate some of that burden, IEC was pleased to be amongst other cooperatives receiving funding through Legislature-approved American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds in January.
The Oklahoma Broadband Office awarded IEC $17 million toward specific legs of the full project. IEC is pursuing other funding opportunities currently to offset construction costs and also will benefit from leasing its middle mile to Cox.
This cooperative effort is an innovative approach and has accelerated broadband access to unserved1 and underserved areas of rural Oklahoma. Currently, approximately 2,500 IEC member households are eligible to receive Cox Fiber, with another 1,000 by the end of the year.
Community Impact Through Connection
In a recent survey conducted by Cox in new market areas, previously considered unserved or underserved, 86% of customers say access to broadband has improved their lives. “High-speed Internet connection brings economic prosperity to rural communities,” said Roger Ramseyer, Tulsa Market Vice President, Cox Communications. “We are proud of the relationship we’ve formed with IEC. Together, we are positively impacting the lives of IEC member households and helping them stay connected to the people and projects they care about the most.”
Families in IEC’s seven-county area will have access to Cox’s digital equity programs, such as ConnectAssist for individual households and Connect2Compete for households with students in K-12. Both programs are available to qualifying, low-income, households and provide access to necessary equipment, digital training, and cyber protections, along with a low-priced, 100 Mbps broadband connection.
Malcolm Mitchell Promotes Digital Inclusion
A World Within Reach centers around Mylo Maxey, a young boy who takes readers through a connected universe of adventures and experiences powered by the Internet. Mylo showcases the transformative effects of Internet access and digital literacy and emphasizes the importance of using the Internet safely.
“Mylo represents all the good that comes from kids getting connected to the Internet and having access to the devices and resources they need to be successful,” said Mitchell. “I want readers to understand the important role that digital literacy plays in our lives. Achieving these positive outcomes and digital equity isn’t possible without a connectivity partner like Cox.”
To learn more about Mylo’s adventures and to get your own, free copy of the book, visit cox.com/read.
Residents interested in signing up for service should visit cox.com/getfiber.
About IEC
IEC is dedicated to providing safe, reliable and innovative services that improve the quality of life for our members and communities while exceeding expectations through fiscal governance, infrastructure planning and efficient service. We are a member-owned, not-for-profit distribution cooperative supplying electric service to its members in seven north-central and northeastern Oklahoma counties including Pawnee, Osage, Creek, Payne, Noble, Kay and Tulsa. Founded in 1939, IEC continues to dedicate resources to accomplishing its mission – to enhance the quality of life for members by promoting a positive economic, political, social and regulatory environment.
About Cox Communications
Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through technology. As the largest private broadband company in America, we operate fiber-powered networks in more than 30 states, providing connections and advanced managed IT and cloud services for nearly seven million homes and businesses nationwide. We're dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that make each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.