DTC Building World Class High-Speed Broadband Network

DTC Communications is in the midst of a major effort to build a world class high-speed broadband network for its five county service area with fiber optics.
The $40 million project is being done in phases to serve DeKalb, Cannon, Wilson, Rutherford, and Smith counties. The goal is to complete the initial build-out within five years.
Modern high-tech tasks require speeds available only through fiber optic technology. A fiber network uses cables made of tiny strands of pure glass, each about the diameter of a human hair, to transmit beams of light over great distances. The beams are capable of carrying high-quality data for fast internet speeds even greater than 1 gigabit per second.
As customers need faster speeds, fiber optic networks are proving to be the only connections capable of meeting customers’ needs and exceeding their expectations.
“DTC is delivering on its promise of cooperatively improving the quality of life for our members and the middle Tennessee region that we serve,” said DTC CEO Chris Townson during last Saturday’s annual membership meeting. “Under this board’s direction and through the leadership and hard work of DTC’s management team and employees, we are building a fiber optic network that will serve its membership with state of the art telecommunication services for generations to come.”
The Cooperative is building approximately 140 miles of fiber optic lines this year in the Woodbury and Westside areas of Cannon County.
“We are currently completing splicing and electronic installation in those areas. By Thanksgiving over 1,300 homes and businesses will have access to gigabit high speed internet, high definition DTC TV, unlimited voice services and industry leading residential and commercial security and camera systems,” said Townson. “Additionally, work is already underway to build approximately 300 miles of fiber in the Milton, Norene, Auburntown, and Smithville exchanges in 2018. We’re planning to double that number again in 2019 when we build approximately 600 miles of fiber optic lines primarily in the Gordonsville exchange.”
“The trust you have placed in us, in addition to your continued investment in your cooperative, has allowed us to complete our final Very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) project in the Woodland area, making available advanced services to more than 1,000 homes and businesses,” he added.
“We’re not only building to serve the members well but we are doing so in a fiscally responsible manner,” he continued. “Under this board’s direction, the leadership of our management team, and the hard work and execution of our strategic and operational plans by our employees, we are not only building a world class broadband network, we are doing so while significantly improving our financial performance. In comparing this year’s annual report with last year, you will see we have improved net earnings by almost $1.1 million dollars year over year from 2015 to 2016. I am happy to report that so far in 2017 we look to make similar improvements again.”
In all, the cooperative plans to invest approximately $40 million in the communities it serves.
“DTC did take advantage of a change in an FCC regulation. We adopted the FCC Alternative Connect America Fund Cost Recovery Model for the Universal Service.” Townson explained. “What that means is that DTC has secured cost recovery from the Universal Service Fund for the next ten year period and in return we have promised to rebuild a significant portion of our network to provide broadband services in the high cost areas we serve. That’s why you are hearing about the $40 million that we will invest over the next four to five years.”
“This year our state legislature passed the Tennessee Broadband Accesibility Act in an attempt to bring Broadband Internet service to the underserved and unserved residents of Tennessee. DTC was very involved in this legislative process,” he added.
In conclusion, Townson told the membership, “The reason the Board of Directors at DTC and I are so passionate about this buildout is that we are anticipating the impact this network will have on our members’ quality of life, economic well-being, and educational opportunities.”
“We are neighbors doing for neighbors what the big corporate providers won’t do,” he added.
“That’s what DTC has accomplished for 66 years and I’m happy to report we are committed to serving our customers far into the future.”