Corrales gets fiber: Will Ezee deliver on promises of communication and cleanup?

Mayor Fred Hashimoto says he’s pleased that Ezee Fiber has made performance and transparency pledges to the village, but he wants to see if the company can deliver on those promises.

Hashimoto told the Corrales Comment Ezee Fiber representatives met with village staff about a week ago to discuss the project. Among the commitments the company made, he said, are timely notification of upcoming construction work, easily identifiable vehicles for itself and subcontractors and phone calls answered by a human within half a minute.

The Corrales Village Council last year approved a franchise agreement with Ezee Fiber. The company plans to begin laying fiber cables in the village in April. Village officials say they haven’t been given an exact start date.

Hashimoto said Ezee Fiber plans the following notification steps:

• Postcards to affected addresses a week before construction starts.
• A door hanger two to five days before work starts.
• A second door hanger to inform residents and businesses that work was done nearby.
• Distribution of educational materials on public right-of-way.

Hashimoto said the company could have about a half-dozen crews working simultaneously on the Corrales project. 

A company “community welcome packet” says the work should take 45 to 60 days to complete. The project will include the installation of underground fiber-optic cable on all public roads in Corrales. 

Ezee Fiber last year was among providers mentioned by Albuquerque City Councilors when they approved a moratorium on new fiber work, citing complaints of construction activity outside of permitted hours, sidewalk damage and other transgressions.

The welcome packet says any damage to sod, sprinklers, driveways, or landscaping will be corrected to leave the property in original or better condition.

In his weekly message to the community, Hashimoto reminded residents that any sending salespeople door-to-door is required to have a solicitation permit issued by the village, and that its representatives are required to wear village-issued badges. He told the Comment that Ezee Fiber trucks are orange and emblazoned with the company name.’’

Ezee Fiber says its salespeople will never ask to come inside a residence, and that anyone encountering a purported employee requesting entry should report the incident to police. 

Village officials plan to update progress maps after construction starts.

Hashimoto said he’s not 100% at ease about the project, but he’s hoping Ezee Fiber’s performance matches its pledges.

“Things can always go wrong when there’s construction,” he said. “You always cross your fingers and hold your breath a little bit.”