Grubb Gives Update on Rally’s Expanded Fiber Optic Network

RISON - Rally Networks expects Phase I of its three-phase fiber optic network expansion in Cleveland County to be completed sometime in July with the entire project being finished in about two years, Cleveland County Telephone operations manager Bruce Grubb told the Cleveland County Republican Party Tuesday.Grubb was originally scheduled to speak to the group in July but swapped meetings with Rison Mayor Charles Roberts when the mayor was unable to attend Tuesday.Rally Networks is the parent company of Cleveland County Telephone.Grubb told the group that the fiber optic expansion is two-fold: first, to replace the copper lines currently being used for landline telephone service within their service area; and second, to extend Rally’s broadband internet service into new areas of the county. Rally will offer up 8 gigabytes of broadband service within the new area.Rally brought the first fiber optic internet service to Cleveland County in 2022 with the construction of underground networks within the Rison and Kingsland city limits. That service went online in the spring of 2023.In January, Rally began construction on Phase 1, which extends that existing  underground network already in Rison and Kingsland to areas outside both cities. In Rison, the service is being installed along Hwy. 35 North to the Staves community and along Hwy. 35 South to the Macedonia community. Grubb said those lines are also being placed along all the county roads that connect to those highways, including a stretch along Hwy. 114 in the Toledo area to near the Big Creek bridges.In Kingsland, the service will be extended along Cross Road and Hwy. 189 north of town, and along Hwy. 97 south to the Hwy. 8 junction near New Edinburg. It will go as far east as the Saline River, taking in the Hebron and Mt. Elba areas along Hwy. 189 South.Grubb did note that their broadband service will go into some areas that are currently not cov...