We are pleased to announce the successful completion of the broadband expansion project in Covington County. The project was undertaken by our company, TEC, with the aim of providing reliable and high-speed internet connectivity to residents and businesses in the area.
A broadband expansion project in Covington County has been completed, according to TEC. On Monday morning, the rural broadband provider announced that the completed project will increase Gigabit-speed internet coverage by an estimated 52 miles, providing connectivity to more than 750 homes and businesses.
Background and Scope
Covington County is a rural area in Alabama, with a population of approximately 37,524 (2021) people. Prior to the project, internet connectivity in the county was limited, with many residents and businesses relying on slow and unreliable connections. This posed a significant challenge for individuals and organizations that required fast and reliable internet connectivity for work, education, and communication purposes.
The project involved the installation of broadband infrastructure, including fiber-optic cables, in the county. The infrastructure was designed to provide high-speed internet connectivity to both residential and commercial areas. The project covered 13 square miles 34 km2 square miles and involved the installation of 13 square miles 34 km2 miles of fiber-optic cables.
CEC started building out the backbone in January and is on track to finish by the end of this month, with the first members coming online this fall. According to CEC’s 2021 Annual Report, “expansion to all CEC members will be done in phases and will take a few years to be complete.”
Initially, the FTTH build out was supposed to take four years, but with all the enthusiasm around the network, Short asked the board if CEC could fast track the build out to two years. He said that’s what they are aiming for, and when Buzz Broadband was announced, it was made clear that the board is “committed to making high-speed fiber broadband access available to every CEC member by 2025, if not sooner.”
“We’re on track to invest $65 to $70 million in two years, where our electric plan was only $180 million give or take, and it took us 77 years to get to that point,” Short said. “It’s quite an accelerated cash flow.”
Once all the phases are complete, TEC says the project will bring Fast Fiber Internet access to more than 23,000 residential and business customers in rural Mississippi, to accelerate economic growth in the listed communities and make services such as remote education and telemedicine faster and more reliable .
“Broadband internet allows so many new opportunities for rural Mississippians,” said Southern Pine Director, At Large, Fountaine McNair. “Our members living in the Hopewell and Hot Coffee communities will benefit from having access to fast fiber internet and will now be able to work from home, take online classes and participate in quality healthcare through telemedicine.”
According to TEC, dependent fiber internet connections offer improved quality of life through access to telemedicine, remote learning and work-from-home opportunities, as well as provide personal entertainment, such as gaming or video streaming.
TEC says its goal is to minimize the broadband access gap by providing reliable, high-quality, affordable internet solutions to the communities it serves.
“Even after 100 years of connecting communities, TEC’s commitment to our customers never wavers,” said TEC CEO Joey Garner. “We are thrilled to expand high-speed internet access to residents and business owners in Covington County.”
Benefits of the Project
The completion of the broadband expansion project in Covington County brings significant benefits to residents and businesses in the area. Here are some of the benefits of the project:
- Improved Internet Connectivity: The installation of high-speed internet infrastructure provides residents and businesses with reliable and fast internet connectivity, which is essential for work, education, and communication.
- Increased Economic Development: Reliable and fast internet connectivity is a key factor in promoting economic development. The availability of high-speed internet infrastructure in the area is likely to attract businesses and industries that require fast internet connectivity.
- Enhanced Education: Fast and reliable internet connectivity is essential for online learning. The availability of broadband infrastructure in the area provides students and educators with the tools they need for online learning.
- Improved Healthcare: Telemedicine and other forms of remote healthcare services require reliable and fast internet connectivity. The installation of broadband infrastructure in Covington County provides residents with access to these services.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the completion of the broadband expansion project in Covington County is a significant achievement for our company. The project provides residents and businesses with reliable and fast internet connectivity, which is essential for work, education, and communication. The availability of high-speed internet infrastructure in the area is likely to attract businesses and industries that require fast internet connectivity. We are proud to have undertaken this project and to have made a positive impact on the lives of the residents of Covington County.
