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Premier Holdings contractor outlines countywide BEAD final‑mile plan and costs
Summary
A contractor for Premier Holdings described a countywide final‑mile fiber plan for Chilton County tied to the state/federal broadband grant process, answered commissioners’ questions on aerial vs. underground construction, costs and coverage, and requested a county support letter and minutes for the BEAD application.
Jason Springer, a general contractor and project manager for Network Connects working with Premier Holdings LLC, told the Chilton County Commission that his company intends to bid on a countywide final‑mile BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) application and is gathering local input to include in its state filing.
Springer said the design prioritizes aerial installation and avoids underground runs where possible to reduce cost and speed permitting. “We try to avoid the underground as much as we can,” Springer said. “It slows down the permitting process a little bit … and in the long run, it’s easier to service.”
He gave the commission example price ranges for construction, saying aerial fiber averages about $3–$5 per foot depending on material costs and timing, while underground installation can be roughly $14–$18 per foot. Springer also described how his team field‑surveys counties before bids and builds “what‑if” backup plans for obstacles such as creeks or crossings.
The presentation emphasized that grant maps used by NTIA and the state will be reconciled during the award process to identify which addresses must be built under the grant and which are eligible for later private overbuild. “We will document that, give that information to them, and then they will tell us how we can overbuild our system,” Springer said.
Commissioners asked whether areas covered by other federal programs (references were made to RDOF/Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and CenturyLink) block work; Springer said those areas are not necessarily prohibited and that NTIA/state review will determine eligible locations. He offered to help county officials locate and interpret federal maps and to provide a copy of the company’s handouts and maps.
Commissioners voted unanimously to provide Springer a copy of the minutes and a letter of support for the BEAD/AL grant application, a packet Springer requested during his presentation.
Why it matters: BEAD awards shape which addresses get funded for fiber construction and which remain dependent on private investment or satellite/other fixed wireless options. Local support letters and accurate on‑the‑ground mapping can affect the contractor’s bid and the state/federal eligibility review.
What’s next: Springer said, if awarded the county contract portion of the grant, his team will move to engineering and local planning — meeting with county representatives and residents to identify challenges and staging needs.
