Business briefs: EPB completes fiber network, Uncommon Concrete sold

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

photo Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell EPB's Bearnard Foy assembles new fiber-optics cable at the intersection of Tennessee Avenue and West 37th Street.

EPB officials said Monday the utility completed laying fiber-optic lines for both its electricity and telecommunication systems last week - two years ahead of the original schedule.

With the last of the high-speed fiber lines placed in Haletown, EPB contractors completed fiber-optic links throughout the utility's 600-square-mile service territory in only three years.

The links will help EPB install smart meters to better control power usage and high-speed Internet, voice and video services through its telecommunications, EPB spokesman Lacie Newton said. As of Monday, EPB has 24,650 residential customers and about 2,500 business customers of its fiber-optics telecom service.


Uncommon Concrete sold

Tommy Hobbs, owner of Uncommon Concrete, sold the company's assets Friday to Nathan Smith, owner of Set in Stone, for an undisclosed amount. The merged custom concrete countertop business will consolidate at Set in Stone's location on West Main Street, closing the showroom for Uncommon Concrete, formerly at 1300 E. 23rd St. Hobbs will stay on at the new company through the transition, he said, focusing on sales.

"I'm also a furniture maker, and I decided it was time to focus more on that," Hobbs said.