Efanz WiFi

Tabor, Iowa June 3, 2008 – If you are passing through Tabor Iowa later this summer, you will notice the residents of this town of 1,000 in southwest Iowa are more “connected” than your typical rural Iowa community.  The Tabor City Council recently approved an agreement on to allow Efanz, Inc., an Internet service provider to install a citywide WiFi Internet network.  This is believed to be the first citywide WiFi Internet network to be installed in southwest Iowa and certainly the first for a city this size.

The Efanz WiFi Network uses small radio transmitters to broadcast high-speed Internet signals through the air.  These transmitters are strategically placed to provide coverage throughout the entire city, offering area residents and businesses reliable, mobile, high-speed Internet access.  “Besides bringing advanced broadband Internet access to Tabor, users will be able to use their service anywhere within the city; using any standard WiFi ready device”, said Roger Willey, Vice President of Marketing for Efanz.  “Whether that is a laptop computer, smart phone or a PDA, they can use it at home, work, or in the park”.

The City of Tabor decided to proceed after several months of considering the impact and benefits to the community.  “We want Tabor to be recognized as a progressive community”, said City Councilman Ross Silcock.  “We believe that with this high tech service, Tabor is positioned to compete with any larger city for attracting commercial and residential growth”.  “Our quality of life, low property taxes, proximity to Omaha and Eppley Airfield, and now technical infrastructure, makes us as attractive as any community in the area”.

Efanz will be installing a “third generation” switched mesh network; the latest in wireless engineering that has been winning acclaim in Minneapolis, Toronto and London.  “We were very careful to select technology and design strategies that are proven”, said Verlyn Veldhouse, President of Efanz.  “Finally, the technology has developed where it is both reliable and cost effective”.

The ability to cost justify the investment for broadband Internet technology has long been a sore spot for rural communities.  Being labeled as “ the last mile”, many rural towns have been ignored when it comes to the deployment of modern day data transfer networks.  The sheer cost of fiber, the expanse of uninhabited land, and the low population densities has deterred most incumbents from investing in improvements.  “Certainly the size of the community makes Tabor a larger financial risk”, said Verlyn Veldhouse, President of Efanz.  “However, the combination of improved performance of wireless technology and a creative approach with the city, has helped us build a solid business model and make true broadband Internet an affordable reality for small communities.”

Most Tabor residents and businesses will see a reduction in cost and an increase in connection speed.  Final prices are yet to be confirmed, but a 1.5 Mbps (upload and download) connection will be less than $30 per month.  This is less than half the cost of satellite based service and lower than most rural DSL connections.

Tabor Iowa is located in the Loess Hills area in Fremont County.  It is just east of Interstate 29 about 30 miles south of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Efanz, Inc. is a national provider of Internet services having been in business for over 11 years.  The company is privately owned and located in Elkhorn, Nebraska.

For more information contact:

Roger Willey
Efanz, Inc.
(402) 965-4081 ext. 7010
www.efanzwifi.com

Ross Silcock
City Council
City of Tabor, Iowa
(402) 618-4935
www.taboriowa.us