Free Fiber
This document is a case study of the California Line Extension Grant program. The author describes their experience applying for the grant to get high-speed internet in their rural home, including the application process, communication with the California Public Utilities Commission, and working with Comcast to complete the installation.
Free FiberWhat is the California Line Extension?California Line Extension Program -- Case StudyGetting an Estimate from ComcastCommunication with the California Public Utilities CommissionWorking with Comcast
What is the California Line Extension?
The California Line Extension Program (LEP) - A SummaryCalifornia Line Extension Program -- Case Study
My story starts way back, when a Comcast Business sales person hung in there and figured out why I wasn’t eligible at my address for Comcast service. She started an internal investigation.
Getting an Estimate from Comcast
On Friday June 10, 2022, the sales person requested a walk-by at my house in Grass Valley, CA.
By July 11, the sales person was getting a construction estimate.
On September 13, 2022, the sales person came back with a project estimate – Comcast would run their line up one pole so I could get connected.
They wanted me to pay $2500 for my share of the project, and there was no financing option (through PRG, their partner financing company).
I started saving for the project, but then got curious – I’d been hearing in the news that Biden got lots of money for rural broadband in the Infrastructure bill. I asked someone about it and they pointed me to the Nevada County website.
They pointed me to the California Line Extension Grant Program, which was designed to support rural customers facing excessive costs to get high speed internet. Perfect, I was exactly the kind of person the grant was meant to serve.
Communication with the California Public Utilities Commission
On November 29, 2022, I wrote the CASF to inquire about applying for a grant.
On November 30, I got this email back:
Thank you for your inquiry.
Please see the CASF Line Extension Program web page for an overview of the program:
You will find the Application Requirements and Guidelines here:
Thank you,
The CASF Line Extension Program
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
The same day, I filled out the application and submitted it along with the attachments I thought they wanted. (NOTE: they want all the attachments renamed using their letter code, for easier sorting of the documents. I submitted A) LEP Application B) The agreement from Comcast’s business partner PRG outlining the project and costs C) My IRS Form 1040 and Schedule C E) a consent form.)
As I pulled these documents together, I realized a PG&E CARE customer was an automatic approval for the grant. I then realized I qualified for the PG&E CARE program and applied.
The CASF folks also wanted all the forms submitted via snail mail, so I printed and mailed them.
By December 2, 2022, I’d been approved by PG&E for their CARE program. I forwarded that approval on to the CASF folks.
On December 5, 2022, the CASF folks let me know they’d received my application and were reviewing it.
On December 7, 2022, I got an email asking for more information.
Your copy of the email from PG&E certifying your participation in the CARE program will allow us to continue reviewing your LEP application, but please send a clear image of the acceptance letter or initial bill verifying your participation upon receipt.
Please also send us the following items for us to continue reviewing your application:
1. A copy of the current AT&T service plan to which you subscribe and the speed offered with that plan.
2. Four speed tests of actual broadband service speeds at your residence. See External Speed Test Form, attached.
3. The expected service speeds that Comcast will provide to your location with this line extension.
4. From Comcast or its contractor, a statement of exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental review requirements.
These items should all be sent electronically to [email protected]. Please be careful to name your files as instructed in the last column of the Application Checklist (section 6) of the Line Extension Program Application. Also, please convert and resend your application in Excel format.
Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
On December 8, 2022 I responded with a re-submission of my original documents using the naming convention, plus moving my original application from PDF to Excel (this might be challenging for a senior to do!)
I also had to do speed tests showing my DSL speeds. Previously I’d received a quote for line speeds from the original sales person, and I was able to attach that showing the estimated line speeds from Comcast.
Turns out the CEQA application was wanting me to do an environmental study of my installation to ensure that there was no negative environmental impact. I couldn’t get Comcast to respond to this request, and I wrote back to the CASF people saying that I lived in a residential downtown neighborhood and the line extension was from one existing pole to another. They accepted this explanation from me.
I had to go to AT&T and type in my address in their high-speed internet offer box and screenshot the message, which misleadingly indicated that service was planned to arrive in my area.
On December 14, 2022, I got a message asking about AT&T’s misleading message to extend fiber in my area.
When I called AT&T the salesperson checked and said there was no plan to extend service to my address but wouldn’t document that information. So I had to write back to CASF explaining this information.
On January 4, 2023 I got a message from CASF saying they’d accepted and were moving forward with my application. They gave me Jan 11 as the estimated response date.
On January 5, 2023, I got a message asking for the PRG contact person, and I replied providing that information.
On January 11, I got a message from CASF saying they were working on my application and needed more time.
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 I got a message that my grant application was APPROVED!
Working with Comcast
Then I shared that information with Comcast and went into a quiet zone. It took me quite a bit of pestering sales people and the Installation Project Manager for Comcast before I finally got information about what was happening.
On February 21, 2023 CASF asked me to get Comcast to fill out a Form STD 204 so the state of California could know where to send the money. Ha, a consumer getting Comcast to fill out a form!
I forwarded the form to the Installation Project Manager the same day.
Sometime during this period of waiting, on a phone call, the Installation Project Manager informed me that Comcast didn’t know how to deal with the grant, and they were having a discussion between his department and government affairs about how to receive the payment from the state and some internal reporting of labor hours that a VP had requested. He said Comcast had only ever fulfilled four of these grants over the two year period it was available. On that call he told me he was my point of contact until the project was completed.
On March 3, the Installation Project Manager informed me that the project had (FINALLY!) been approved by Comcast to begin installation and was now waiting on the weather and approval from the county inspector (we’d just gotten over 2 feet of snow!) Government Affairs was supposed to fill out the payment form. I asked who I should contact in Gov’t Affairs and the Installation Project Manager told me he was my point of contact for both the form and the installation.
Today, March 7, the Comcast crew showed up and connected the line from the street pole to the power pole between my house and my neighbors, and also ran the drop cable from the pole to my house. The install supervisor told me that he would need to send a splicer out once my driveway is cleared of snow (it snowed 3 more inches last night). Once the splicer finished the task, Comcast could schedule me for service activation.
I sent the Installation Project Manager an email thanking him, asking how I should follow up on the “splicer” and if it was time for me to sign an Xfinity contract.
I also sent a thank you letter to the sales person. That person deserves a MEDAL!