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Great Lakes Energy and Truestream Service Continues as Critical Infrastructure

Great Lakes Energy and Truestream continue to provide electric and fiber services to members after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order earlier today in response to the threat from COVID-19.

Utility and communications providers such as Great Lakes Energy (GLE) and Truestream are deemed critical infrastructure and will continue to provide the electric and internet/voice service their members greatly depend on—especially in times like these. All business operations, including field operations, the dispatch and call centers will continue to function without disruption in service while employees follow health and safety guidelines.

“The focus for Great Lakes Energy is to keep the lights on,” Bill Scott, CEO of Great Lakes Energy states. “We are committed to keeping our employees, members and communities safe while still supplying the power our members depend on and deserve. We also know that our rural members need internet service more than ever and we continue to maintain services and construct our Truestream fiber network while ensuring health and safety protocols are followed.”

GLE and Truestream employees who can do so will continue working from home and the majority of field staff are working in separate vehicles to maintain distance. Employees in the field who may come into contact with members have been instructed to practice the preventive measures laid out by the CDC, such as social distancing and staying home if they are not feeling well.

All members are encouraged to do their part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and to use online, phone or mail options for payments and other service requests. Now is the time to establish an online account at gtlakes.com to pay your bill or report an outage or service need.

GLE and Truestream ask anyone who is feeling sick to avoid contact with our workers and reschedule appointments.  The cooperative is working with members who may be impacted financially by COVID-19 and can provide access to assistance resources. To discuss payment arrangements or reschedule field or service appointments call 1-888-485-2537.

Great Lakes Energy’s COVID-19 response is online at gtlakes.com/blog.

Truestream COVID-19 response is online at truestreamfiber.com/news.

 

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Eric Dietel
Eric Dietel
3 years ago

Wish there was a chance to get your service. Most of the areas you are in, Charter is already there. I thought your mission is to get good high speed connections to people like me who have no high speed available.

Eric Dietel
Eric Dietel
3 years ago

I feel that you should be getting services to those who can’t get Charter. Most cases you competing with them. I have no high speed available. Yet you are not here! Seems to me you are misusing federal funds.

lkotzian@glenergy.com
3 years ago
Reply to  Eric Dietel

Eric, thank you for your concern and interest in Truestream. Our mission is to bring our high-speed fiber internet to all of our Great Lakes Energy members. We serve rural folks, and a majority of our members report having no access to high-speed internet. We’re working hard every day to change that! There are no regulations on which internet provider serves in any particular area. We have chosen to factor demand for service into construction plans to help reach those most in need of a quality high-speed connection – the fewer options, the higher the demand should be. You are… Read more »

Dan Ross
Dan Ross
3 years ago

Need more information on seasonal Wi-Fi.

Brett Streby
Admin
3 years ago
Reply to  Dan Ross

Hi Dan, vacation plans are available for up to six months per calendar year, after one full month of service. Prices for vacation internet and voice plans range from $15-25/month for residential accounts. Give us a call at 1-888-485-2537 ext. 8981 during business hours for more information!

Ken
Ken
2 years ago

I’ve received numerous e-mails for High Speed service in my area for almost two years and nothing to date. I’m using a dish service and it’s bad at best. The current provider is approx. 10 miles North and South of our location of 20 homes. The Association received a quote of $300,000 to bring the service into the area, plus down the road and each hookup was extra. Not a reasonable cost per family.

Brett Streby
Admin
2 years ago
Reply to  Ken

Hi Ken. We plan to cover our entire service area, but it will take time. Demand plays an important factor in determining where we build next, so encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to register their interest!

Daniel Romej
Daniel Romej
1 year ago

When will you have service at 3709 Pfeiffer Ct., Morley, MI?

Steve Zucker
Admin
1 year ago
Reply to  Daniel Romej

Hi Daniel. Assuming you are referring to Truestream service, the Morely area is listed in the exploration phase, which means based on strong interest from registrations, we are exploring bringing our fiber network to the area. We can’t provide a more specific timeline right for when construction will begin in your area, but plans for where we will be expanding the network in 2023 are currently being finalized. Updates on Truestream construction are posted regularly here: http://www.truestreamfiber.com/news/. Any updates on the Morely area would appear under the Newaygo Service Area.

Darlene Potratz
Darlene Potratz
1 year ago

I hope we get.your internet by big Star lake we need it!

john pals
john pals
1 year ago

Just wondering when this truestream is going to be complete. We live on a 140th ave all we see is the wire on the pole and the tube they run we have been waiting 23 years for this and know it just sitting still it would be nice if there was a little more communication with this. Like i said we have zero internet at are house and i mean zero so it would very respectable to keep all of us UPDATED.

Brett Streby
Admin
1 year ago
Reply to  john pals

Hello, John. By sharing your interest from the Truestream website, you will be looped into our communication channels and will be caught up to speed with the fiber build status, notified when we are connecting in your area, and more. To get started, visit: https://www.truestreamfiber.com/check-eligibility/ .

Charles-thomas
Charles-thomas
1 year ago

I’m in mancelona Michigan and wondering when we are going to get this service?

Brett Streby
Admin
1 year ago
Reply to  Charles-thomas

Hello. The news section of the Truestream website is updated monthly with fiber build status by area. For the latest updates, visit: https://www.truestreamfiber.com/news/.

Luke Galloway
Luke Galloway
4 months ago

Hello! A year or so ago I was talking to a couple of your techs that were out in my area surveying and they said we would have service possibly this fall. Do you have an updated time frame?
I am just east of Newaygo state park.

Steve Zucker
Admin
4 months ago
Reply to  Luke Galloway

Hi Luke! Right now we do not have an estimated timeframe for when service will be available in that area. The best resource for information about our Truestream fiber internet service is at truestreamfiber.com.

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