Bay Springs, Mississippi (August 16, 2022) – TEC, a leading rural broadband provider, has broken ground in the Scott County community of Pulaski. This undertaking will provide connectivity to more than 1,100 households and businesses by providing access to Gigabit speed internet. The completed project will create Fast Fiber Internet access to more than 23,000 families and businesses in rural Mississippi, allowing access to such services as distance education and telemedicine. TEC was one of 386 competing companies in the November 2020, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auction, which awarded $9 billion for the provision of broadband internet to unserved and underserved areas throughout the United States. TEC, with the assistance of the FCC, will fund the building and delivery of broadband access to Copiah, Covington, Jasper, Lawrence, Lincoln, Newton, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, and Smith counties.
“We are very excited about well overdue breakthrough of fast internet,” states Scott County District 3 Supervisor Steven Crotwell. “We are very Happy that it is now being done in Scott County and are excited to connect our people with the rest of the world.”
Dependable fiber internet connections offer improved quality of life through access to telemedicine, distance learning, and work-from-home opportunities. Additionally, high-speed broadband provides personal entertainment, such as streaming videos or gaming. TEC’s goal is to minimize the broadband access gap by providing reliable, high-quality, affordable internet solutions to the communities it serves.
"For nearly a century now, we have been dedicated to making our customers' lives better through connection," TEC President and CEO Joey Garner added. "In today's world, that means having access to all the conveniences and opportunities that high-speed internet provides. We are committed to expanding this availability to everyone in the communities we serve."
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The project covers an estimated 108 miles and will connect more than 1,100 residential and business customers to Fast Fiber Internet, providing symmetrical Gigabit speeds and home phone services to these communities. One Gig internet connections give the best online experience for streamers, gamers, social media users, and families with multiple users at home. To sign up for service, go to www.TEC.com/SignUp to complete a short form.