CLEVELAND - Things were popping in White County Tuesday as many private and public participants involved in the North Georgia Network, a non-profit organization seeking to improve economic development and education in north Georgia, officially open the first switching station for a high speed fiber optic network.



The Core Point-of-Presence or C-POP switching station located next to White County High School involves, according to Bruce Abraham, President and CEO for North Georgia Network, a $2-million dollar investment. The network brings high speed Internet service to the north Georgia area.



Abraham said it's another step in something big for not only White County but all of Northeast Georgia. He said, " I've been talking about this thing for four years now, so it's great to see something on the ground that the people can touch and fell and see the blinking lights. According to Abraham, folks can come to this area now that would have passed it over before.



White County Commission Chairman Travis Turner told those on hand for the event that this will not only provide immediate benefit to community businesses , our school our homes, but will place White County as well as all of north Georgia in a position to attract businesses.



Habersham Electric Membership Corporation is one of the partners involved in the project Todd Pealock President/CEO of HEMC said the fiber optic network is modeled after the rural electric system and he put in prospective how this network is opening up opportunities, he said " it's in a way kinda' like going from a straw, to a hose to now we've got Niagara Falls here to be able to provide Northeast Georgia. Because we will come from this location and be able to distribute this broadband to the community. "



Nancy Cobb Executive Director for OneGeorgia Authority another partner in the effort said, " If we had not worked all together to install this network where would you be, you would be behind, greatly behind. Now you have the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of the 21st century and have the ability to control the future of northeast Georgia.



The Cleveland C-POP is the first of four stations to be built in north Georgia. Others will be built in Dahlonega, Dawsonville and Cumming.



