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Rene Ray De La Cruz Staff Writer @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

PHELAN The California Public Utilities Commission agreed to allow Race Communications to install its fiber-based internet system in the Tri-Community area.

Business owner Kimberly Lombardi, who offered testimony during the CPUC meeting Thursday in San Francisco, told the Daily Press the approval of the Gigafy Phelan project by a 4-1 vote was huge win for the High Desert area.

The scope of the project includes installation of a fiber-to-the-premises system for 7,600 households over 98 square miles in Phelan, Pinon Hills, Oak Hills and Hesperia.

Approval of the resolution awards Race approximately $27.6 million through a grant provided by the California Advanced Services Fund.

Its like Phelan has been given a new hope and a breath of fresh air, said Lombardi, who owns The Pizza Factory in Phelan with her husband, Brian. Weve been battling terrible internet connection by Frontier since April. It was like the whole town was being held hostage.

After Connecticut-based Frontier took over Verizons voice, video, data and FiOS network, customers across the High Desert and throughout California began complaining about a variety of service issues, with some cancelling their service and switching to other providers, the Daily Press reported.

Lombardi, who spoke with the CPUC, said her store lost an estimated $10,000 in sales since the takeover and her shops internet service began failing.

There were times when the whole town was out for days and even an entire week, said Lombardi, who traveled to the Bay Area with nearly a half-dozen residents from the High Desert. Our local tech had to finally come in and fix the problem because Frontier couldnt do it.

Once completed, the Phelan project will be the largest the company has ever completed. Engineering and design work should begin this month, with groundbreaking four to six months after that, Ally Hetland, marketing manager for Race, told the Daily Press.

Based on recent interviews with Race officials, the first customer to receive service from the company should be around the holidays in 2018.

Frontier replied to the Daily Press by saying the "company is disappointed in yesterday's vote," adding that Frontier continues to be dedicated to vital broadband expansion to rural Californians.

No other state is using, or proposing to use, state taxpayer funds to subsidize a second provider to overbuild Frontiers CAF-funded broadband upgrades, said Christy Reap, Frontiers assistant vice president, corporate communications. Frontier will continue to utilize Connect America Funds to bring the life-changing benefits of broadband to our service territories.

Reap said the company hopes the CPUCs vote does not set a precedent of overbuilding by multiple providers, which does not adhere to the FCCs guidelines for use of CAF funds.

We continue to urge California to use state broadband funds for expanding broadband where federal funds and private investment are not available, Reap said.

A split decision by the CPUC last month stalled the Gigafy Phelan project and disappointed several residents from the High Desert who attended the meeting.

According to Race officials, they heard many stories from Tri-Community residents who had and were experiencing substandard internet speeds and poor service.

Over the last two years, Race has filed numerous attempts to deliver fiber optic service to the Phelan region. Frontier Communications submitted an infrastructure grant challenge to the CPUC in April, but it was declared a late-filed challenge by the agency.

Frontiers CAF commitments bring $228 million in federal funds for California broadband expansion and Frontier will continue to engage in further discussion to ensure the CASF program accounts for critical federal funds to help close the Digital Divide in California, Frontier Communications Director of Public Relations JavierMendoza said.

Copies of letters from local and regional leaders who supported Races efforts were obtained by Daily Press. The letters came from Rep. Paul Cook, First District Supervisor Robert Lovingood and Assemblyman Jay Obernolte.

Other letters came from CalFire, the Snowline Joint Unified School District, the Phelan Chamber of Commerce, the Phelan-Pinon Hills Community Service District and other schools.

Cameron Christian, vice president of marketing western region with Frontier, told the Daily Press last year that despite the transition of approximately 3.3 million voice, 2.1 million broadband and 1.2 million FIOS subscribers across three states, We have experienced a small number of requests for assistance from customers in California, and those have been addressed.

Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa Cruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

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The Race is on for better internet service in some areas of the High Desert - VVdailypress.com