October 2, 2018
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
Beckham County Commissioners bit the AT&T bullet and entered into another contract with the communication’s giant on another fiber-optic system. This time, they think it’ll actually come to fruition. The last one didn’t.
About a week and a half ago, commissioners entertained an AT&T partner, American Telecom and Technology out of Oklahoma City, a company that works with AT&T to install the fiber-optic communication lines inside all of the county offices. The last time the county entered into a contract to have this done, it stalled out and left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
American Telecom and Technology President Michael Harber made the pitch for his company to install and back the AT&T system and promises to be “at the ready” if there are any problems.
The decision was difficult even though the installation is free because when it was pitched to the county back in February of 2016, it was free, then, too. The problem was that the salesmen that sold it couldn’t get the AT&T technicians to install it. Equipment laid around for months. Some installed, most not. And then the bills came, thousands of dollars in invoices for a system that didn’t work.
Harber says his company will install it this time.
Harber also says that once it’s installed, its easy to upgrade with the next technological advancement that’s sure to come.
Harber answered all the commissioners questions on Monday and the motion to approve the system was passed. Next is the installation.
At the first meeting where Harber was present, several of the county’s elected officials were present at the meeting, warily listening and asking a few questions. Those same officials were not present at Monday’s meeting leading one reporter to believe that they were giving their approval, too, for Harber’s company to get going.
The communication’s expert says everyone should be happy with the new system, especially if there’s an outage. The lines simply roll-over.
Harber says his company will get started right away, but will schedule the change overs at a time when the courthouse is quiet and empty so as not to interfere with daily business.
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