HIGHLAND LAKES — Despite the region's status as a collection of semi-rural communities, local digital providers are moving fast to keep up with the demand for Internet services as the population grows.
Area information providers are leaning heavily on three types of communications: wireless packet-radio systems, dial-up/broadband telephone and wireless satellite systems.
All three types are represented in the Highland Lakes, but some say wireless is what's really catching on — despite a national recession that has slowed some sales growth.
"When we bought the company in 2008, we realized that the area was growing, so we focused on extending our customer coverage," said Josh Parker, chief executive officer of Zeecon High Speed Wireless Internet.
Providers say more residents are clamoring for cyber services as the world increasingly switches over to digital delivery systems, from computers to smartphones. Some officials estimate there may be only about 8,000 Internet connections in the area, but that number is expected to increase exponentially in the next few years.
Take Marble Falls, for example, which has experienced an annual population growth of 8.5 percent since 2002, according to the Economic Development Corp. That's compared to a national average of 1 percent.
City officials estimate the population of Marble Falls is probably about 8,000 souls; in Burnet County, there are about 44,000 residents.
That figure is expected to rise to 60,382 by 2030, a jump of 38 percent.
As a result, a vibrant community made up of area communications providers leveraging the latest technologies is critical to continued expansion, officials said.
Zeecon exemplifies this trend, company officials said.
The companyuses wireless antenna technology that is easily installed on any structure, and this approach allows the creation of communications channels quickly at a very reasonable price, Parker said.
The firm is already hard at work expanding its capabilities to handle new population densities, Parker said.
"The prior owners were oriented to local 'city-oriented' operations, whereas today we are able to offer both commercial and residential customer high-speed connectivity to up to 95 percent of the Hill Country, in an arc ranging from Spicewood to Kingsland," Parker said. "To support that range, we have also invested in the development of a number of proprietary fiber-optic hubs to handle long-term growth, and our infrastructure planning is based on handling expanded growth 20 years out."
Also based in Marble Falls, 281 Communications offers a diverse list of services including the traditional telephone-based dial-up, higher-speed Integrated Services Data Networking (ISDN) communications, plus high-speed wireless packet-radio connectivity. According to 281 co-owner Tim Moczygemba, however, "We continue to offer both dial-up and ISDN services, but 281 is primarily focused on the rapid expansion of wireless, supported by a growing fiber-optic infrastructure to meet future customer demand."
He added, "For example, two years ago we had no fiber in our system at all, whereas today we offer a deep capability derived from a comprehensive relationship with AT&T. We have also invested in the development of several new towers in order to additionally extend our regional coverage. We have one tower planned for a roll-out in the next several months, and are looking at a second tower site a bit further out."
In terms of business growth, the 281 Communications co-chief harbors cautious optimism while at the same time being mindful of a potential double-dip recession.
"We've seen a significant bump in both residential and commercial business during the last two years," he said. "However, our business has flattened just a bit this summer to follow more historic and lower demands. So, we are continuing to monitor the economic climate while continuing to move forward. In general, and in the long-term, however, we are very positive about the future."
Beyond the two aforementioned wireless packet-radio options, satellite providers in the Highland Lakes region also offer HughesNet, Dish Network, DirecTV Internet and Wildblue.net, among others, which are based on a series of national service dealer relationships.
There are also other companies seen as more traditional providers, such as Time Warner Cable and Northland Communications, which offer bundled services that include telephone, cable and Internet.
Providers caution there are some technical and climatic limitations associated with the area, including hills and accessibility.
In this case, as long as a sending/receiving location is able to be "seen" by one or more satellites, a high-speed communications channel can be created quickly. However, in the case of thunderstorms, tornadoes or even heavy rain, connectivity can fail until the weather passes.
Despite any challenges, regional Highland Lakes providers say they are responding to the future by planning and working on the deployment of newly integrated support systems and affiliate networks now, rather than later.
