Port issues call for fiber project

After receiving grants and loans from the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Port of Whitman County is moving forward with their project to extend fiber to the home in five Whitman County communities; Garfield, Oakesdale, Palouse, Rosalia and Tekoa.

Port Executive Director Joseph Poire noted the project is “just getting started.”

The port received $250,000 dollars in grants and $750,000 in loans from the Department of Commerce in October.

Fiber to the Home (FTTH) is the term for using optical fiber cables, which can carry more data than copper cables, to provide part of local broadband network telecommunications loop.

The port is currently waiting for contractor proposals for the design work. The proposals must be in before Nov. 20.

Poire said the port has no official timeline, but expects the project to take 18 months to two years.