The Lafayette Convention and Visitors Center, located in the Evangeline Thruway median at the city’s northern gateway, is the first commercial customer of LUS Fiber. LUS Fiber spokesperson Amy Broussard says LCVC is signed up for LUS’ Internet service, which provides 50 megabit upload and download speeds at a cost of $119.95 a month. LUS has yet to announce any phone or cable service for businesses. LCVC Director Gerald Breaux says the service was installed last Saturday for 16 computers at the office. “They needed a kind of test site, and we volunteered,” Breaux says. As for the service itself, Breaux is already singing its praise. “Unbelieveable,” he says. “It’s been a major difference [in speed] and the whole group at LUS has been incredibly cooperative to get this whole thing going.” Plans are already in the works for a media event or open house demonstration of the service at LCVC. “We want everyone to come in and see how great it really is,” Breaux says.
Thus far, LCVC, a parish government agency, is the only business that has been offered the LUS Fiber service. This follows LUS’ slow rollout strategy that allows it to carefully monitor and work out any service issues before expanding its clientele. “This is a toe in the water,” Broussard says. As to when and where LUS plans to begin offering and marketing its telecommunications service to businesses, Broussard would only say “soon” and that “it’ll be within our serviceable area. Right now the areas that are turned up and can receive service [residentially] is where we’ll start with business as well.”
... written by Voodoo Science , June 12, 2009 - 03:30 am
$119/month? What happened to Huval's $85/month he told the council for 3 services, not just the Internet. More lies and bs. While other utilities are installing smart grids, these guys are installing dumb networks. Yesterdays technology today, sounds like the LCG "Data processing" group.
... written by guest , June 12, 2009 - 12:43 pm
This is for business services not residential service????
... written by The end is near , June 12, 2009 - 01:25 pm
The problem with fiber, cable, or DSL is once wireless improves they are dead. When will wireless take over? Don't know. But within ten years is a good bet. So all this LUS hoopla is a costly ego trip for Huval and Durel.
... written by business means business. , June 12, 2009 - 01:46 pm
Voodoo Science:
this is business internet. it's usually marked up for a lot more. cox's business plans start much higher, from everything i can remember...3 years ago 3mbit of bandwidth and 8 phone lines from cox ran you $800/month...with a 3 year contract. hell, cox's business internet starts at $120. if you're zoned as a business, everything costs more. you really have no clue, do you?
also, if you have fiber alongside your power (something LUS obviously has), you're 1 step smarter to "smart grids".
also, the fiber would've been here sooner if it weren't from stupid lawsuits.
gain some perspective
... written by Smart Guest , June 12, 2009 - 02:04 pm
And here come the immature kids to post their thoughtless opinions. 1) This price is for commercial, not residential. Even Cox charges more for business services. Imagine that? 2) Once wireless improves? Ok, so that's another choice. For TV, we have satellite and cable companies. Yep, it only took 10 years for all cable tv provider to go under. Oh wait, they're still around aren't they? 3) Costly ego trip? Yeah, slam him for trying to do something that has so far, put Lafayette on the technological map. 50 Mbps is an amazing speed for any residential area in the US, and it also comes at a fraction of the cost of what other fiber providers are charging.
... written by potential business user , June 12, 2009 - 10:15 pm
This is incredibly cheap for business service. A similiar T-1 line at this speed would cost about $500 a month special equipment. The point is that the upload speed is the same as the download speed. A business can have it's own internet servers with this and do all kinds of great stuff not possible over regular cable. Wireless will never meet this kind of bandwidth or upload/download speeds, too many people on the air at once. There is also the security aspect that you lose with wireless.
... written by Terry Huval , June 13, 2009 - 08:45 pm
To Voodoo Science and others:
We kept our committments to the council and public promising we would offer a combined video, Internet and phone residential service for less than $85 per month. The actual price is $84.85 and includes 83 channels, 10 Mbps Internet (upload and download) and standard phone service. We have many other options for customers to consider.
The average usage charateristics of business customers are greater than those of residential customers which is why telecommuniations services tend to be priced higher for businesses. By US standards, 50 Mbps (for both upload and download) for $119 is a very low price for business services.
In order to have citywide wireless capabilities at that speed, a very robust fiber infrastructure will be needed - so we are on the right path to being positioned to provide such services in the future.
"Smart Grid" has lots of emerging definitions. Our view of a smart grid is one which allows both our customers and LUS to receive on-demand electical usage and pricing information. We are studying the costs and benefits - and keeping an eye on applicable stimulus dollars for such an initiative.
Terry
... written by the real deal , June 15, 2009 - 12:41 pm
man they are one street over from my house! they need to hurry! i need fiber ASAP!
... written by Tony Thompson , June 16, 2009 - 06:54 pm
Terry:
Congratulations on your first customer. I manage a muncipal electric system in KY, and we also provide cable, internet, and phone service to our community. What people will begin to realize is that whether they choose LSU as a provider or not, you will always act as a buffer between the citizens of Lafayette and the greed and gouging of the big telco's and cable operators. There is no way to quantify the value that your system brings to your city. And by the way try getting a response from the CEO at Cox or AT&T.
Best of luck.
Tony Thompson Murray, KY
... written by Brent Neader , June 22, 2009 - 09:52 pm
This is Brent from Drury Hotels IT department. I spoke to Heather Escott back in December because i saw the offering then and was very interested. I am glad things are moving along for the businesse offerings. Tell her to get in touch with me when you are ready for us because this looks like a good fit for our needs!
Brent Neader Cape Girardeau, MO
... written by Terry Huval , June 24, 2009 - 01:46 am
Brent,
I will let Heather know about your request for her to get in touch with you. The Lafayette Convention and Visitors Center (LCVC) was within the first area where we were deploying fiber. I do not think we are ready to serve the Drury location. She will get with you to confirm.
Thanks for your interest! Terry
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