Bay Springs, Mississippi (January 16, 2023) – TEC, a leading rural broadband provider, has broken ground on another project in Scott County. This project will provide connectivity to more than 850 homes and businesses by expanding access to Gigabit speed internet covering an estimated 46 miles. The completed project will expand Fast Fiber Internet to more than 23,000 families and businesses in rural Mississippi, making services such as distance education and telemedicine faster and more dependable. 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.
“It will be great to have this access in Scott County”, says District 1 Supervisor Jackie Bradford of Scott County stated. “From what I gather, TEC is super fast and that’s what we are all looking forward to. This broadband will be key for our area and all of Scott County.”
Dependable fiber internet connections offer improved quality of life through access to telemedicine, remote learning, and work-from-home opportunities. Additionally, high-speed broadband provides personal entertainment, such as gaming or video streaming. TEC’s goal is to minimize the broadband access gap by providing reliable, high-quality, affordable internet solutions to the communities it serves.
CEO Joey Garner said, "TEC is thrilled to bring faster internet capability to the Hillsboro area of Scott County." She added, "We know that dependable broadband service is vital to the everyday lives of our customers, and we strive to be at the forefront of providing it."
ABOUT THE PROJECT
This undertaking will cover an estimated 46 miles and will connect more than 850 residential and business customers to Fast Fiber Internet, providing symmetrical Gigabit speeds and home phone services to a portion of Scott County. Gigabit 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.
ABOUT TEC
TEC provides economic stability to its local service areas, employing more than 200 people across Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana. TEC has invested in and currently maintains approximately 1,700 miles of fiber in its rural markets. For nearly a century, TEC has been a forerunner in providing telecommunications services to rural America and was the first to bring internet options to many of these markets more than 20 years ago. For more information, visit www.TEC.com or social media @TECconnects.