Tulsa Daily Commerce & Legal News --

    Oklahoma is being placed on the forefront of advanced communications technology with the completion of 270 miles of new fiber optic cable, according to officials.
    The year-long, multi-million dollar project was a partnership between MBO Video, a privately-owned company in Earlesboro, OK., and four state government agencies, said Gary Brown, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority director of information and communications services.  After laying 100 fibers along state right-of-ways, MBO Video has created a fiber ring across the state.
    "Before, Oklahoma had a limited fiber optic telecommunication system with only 60 miles of cable between Stillwater and OU, Brown said. This project has made Oklahoma a leader in the nation with a total of about 550 miles of cable.  
    Last fall, MBO Video and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Board of State Regents and Oklahoma Office of State Franchise signed an exclusive partnership agreement allowing the private company the use of OTA's and ODOT's rights-of-way, Brown said.
    In return, MBO provided fiber optic cabling and installation for transportation at no cost to the government.
    The fiber optic cables are along the Cimarron Turnpike, Will Rogers Turnpike and Interstate 35, he said.  The new network connects with existing fiber along the Turner Turnpike to create the ring extending through Norman, Oklahoma City, Stillwater, Tulsa and Muskogee.
    The contact with MBO Video was beneficial for the state because the cost of installing fiber optic cable can be too overwhelming for state agencies to afford independently, Brown said.
    "It is hard to say exactly how much saving the fiber optics will provide," he said.  "It would have cost about $25,000 per mile if we installed it ourselves."
    The entire state of Oklahoma will benefit from improved voice, video and data capabilities.
    "This is a great opportunity for us to expand our network in Oklahoma," said David Miller II, MBO Corporation president.  "The state has gained access to expanded communication capabilities, such as the regent's ability to hook all of the colleges statewide into one telecommunications network."
    The partnership and the amount of available fiber put MBO Video on the forefront of communications technology nationally.
    "Through this cooperative effort, we forged new ground for future partnership agreements between public and private entities, "Brown said.  "We were pleased that MBO Video completed the new fiber optics network in record breaking speed.  They also did not disturb or inconvenience highway travelers or destroy rights-of-way."
    "With the reality of land lines and capacity becoming limited, more telephone, cable and public / private businesses are requiring additional fiber optics capacity, said Danny Overland, MBO Corporation vice president.  The network is co-located with other carriers, four in Tulsa and two in Oklahoma City, to provide this high-capacity telecommunications.
    "We have created a super-highway of sorts between Tulsa and Oklahoma City.  Our network is an integral part in the telecommunications link between Kansas City and Dallas.  The natural flow between these two cities is becoming overburdened and fiber is being sought after to provide this much-needed high-speed capacity."
    Older technology was limited in its ability to communicate with the high-tech needs of the telecommunications industry, said Edward A. Smith, one of MBO Video's managers who worked on the project.
    The new network is opening the door for system compatibility and a myriad of revenue producing service for communication providers."