Expo events include:

• A Free Lunch & Gift Bags
• CDE fiber optics technology Booth
• Pole Climbing Demonstrations
• Kids Activities Including A Child ID booth & Louie the Lightning Bug
• High Voltage Electric Safety Demonstration

Common Questions and Answers

Is CDE going to spend taxpayer money to build a fiber optic network?
NO. NOT ONE RED CENT. TAX DOLLARS WILL NOT BE SPENT FOR THIS PROJECT. CDE will issue bonds in the amount of $55 million to finance the fiber optic network. Revenue generated from the sales of services such as cable TV, high-speed Internet, and other telecommunications services available through the network will be used to repay the debt over a twenty year period.

Is CDE only going to serve 25% of the community?
ABSOLUTELY NOT. CDE WILL BUILD ITS FIBER NETWORK TO EVERY HOME AND BUSINESS IN CLARKSVILLE. CDE President, Ken Spradlin, has been purposefully misquoted on this question. What Mr. Spradlin actually said was that CDE would only need 25% of our customers to sign up for services available through the fiber network in order to generate enough revenue to pay for it.

Will your services be a duplication of the cable TV and high-speed Internet services currently available in Clarksville?
No. The technology used by the current cable TV and high-speed Internet providers in Clarksville provides only a fraction of the capacity and speed that will be available through CDE’s fiber optic network. CDE’s fiber network will provide Clarksville with the most progressive technology available at lower prices, making current and future technology more affordable and accessible to the entire community.

Are there other municipal utilities like CDE providing these services successfully?
Nationwide, there are 665 public power systems like CDE with successful programs in place. Seven of them are in Tennessee.

Will CDE’s prices be lower?
In communities where an electric municipal like CDE offers cable TV and high-speed Internet, the current providers lower their prices to match or even beat the lower price of the municipal. So the real question is: “Will prices for cable TV and high-speed Internet be lower than they are today thanks to CDE providing a competitive choice?” The answer is YES.

What about service?
CDE is a locally-owned, municipal utility with its operations right here in Clarksville. If you have a problem with your electric service today, we respond when we receive your call. The same service will be available for cable TV, high-speed Internet, and any other services we provide through our fiber network.

Shouldn’t we be using this money to improve our schools, roads, parks, and other infrastructure?
It is the responsibility of city government to allocate your tax dollars for these types of improvements. And these tax dollars have not and will not ever be used for CDE operations.

What if I don’t subscribe to cable TV, high-speed Internet, or either?
As a customer of CDE, you will still benefit. The CDE fiber optic network will allow us to operate much more efficiently. For example, our meters can be read electronically in the office, without having to send a CDE employee to your property. In fact, you will even be able to choose the date your electric bill is due. And if your power goes out, we might even know before you do.

How can I do my part to make sure CDE is able to offer these services?
Vote for CDE providing additional services in the November 7 election. Early voting begins October 18 and ends November 2.

* This information comes in whole or part, from http://www.voteyescde.com/

About Bill Larson

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