“We are very excited and humbled that Amicalola EMC chose to move forward with us on this project,” said ETC President Jason Smith. We’ve worked on joint projects for many years, and we are happy to partner once again with a trusted and reliable provider like ETC.” We are excited about working with ETC to help bridge that broadband divide, while at the same time improving reliability for our members. “We know that a lack of adequate internet access places a hardship on rural areas. “It is a win-win for our members,” said Todd Payne, CEO of Amicalola EMC. The partnership announced today between Amicalola EMC and ETC is a great example of what our bill was intended to do - give our state’s EMCs the freedom to decide what solution works best in their communities," Gooch remarked. "As the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 2, it was my intent for the state to give our EMCs the legal authority to be a part of solving Georgia's digital divide. “This project demonstrates how companies can come together for the benefit of their customers and it’s wonderful to see two neighbors working together to provide our area with expanded broadband service that will create better economic opportunities, improve access to education, and provide an enhanced quality of life,” Ralston concluded. “I want to applaud Amicalola EMC and ETC on the formation of this exciting broadband partnership and their continued focus on making life better for the residents of North Georgia,” said Georgia House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge), whose district encompasses areas that the partnership intends to serve. ETC will add more than 250 miles of new fiber to its network, which will accommodate broadband growth as consumer demand in the region increases. The expansion will include 220 new miles of broadband lines, completing a 450-to-500-mile fiber optic ring connecting the electric co-op’s substations and switches. Terms of the agreement call for Amicalola EMC to invest $6.5-to-7 million to add more than 250 miles of high-speed connectivity to ETC’s network, providing broadband access to approximately 6,000 customers. The companies are working to provide greater access to high-speed internet in their shared North Georgia service areas that include portions of Cherokee, Dawson, Lumpkin and Pickens counties.ĭetails of the partnership were made public before an audience that included Georgia Senate Majority Whip Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega), long a champion of rural broadband expansion, House Rural Development Caucus Co-Chair Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper) and other elected officials and business leaders. JASPER, Ga.-( BUSINESS WIRE)-Efforts to provide broadband in unserved areas of Georgia have taken another big step forward with a joint announcement in Jasper today of a new partnership between Amicalola EMC and Ellijay Telephone Company (ETC).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |