United Communications Provides Fiber to Over 200 Local, Rural Homes

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United Communications shares updates around its mission to connect Middle Tennessee, Project UNITE. Built to address the crucial need for internet access in rural areas, Project UNITE works to provide connectivity to rural homes and businesses—specifically areas that have been historically overlooked by larger internet service providers.

A long-term mission of United Communication’s President and CEO, William Bradford,
connecting rural areas has been the company’s focus from the beginning. However, as the pandemic began, the need for internet access became even more pressing. By leveraging strategic partnerships with communities, business, and government leaders, Project UNITE works to improve quality of life in underserved areas during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

With the help of Middle Tennessee Electric, United Communications is committed to providing Middle Tennessee residents with the connectivity they need for distance learning, telemedicine, remote work, and other pressing needs. “United’s Project UNITE serves as an ongoing commitment to advance internet connectivity to our underserved members—to make life better by delivering needed access to all the resources that high-speed internet provides,” said Chris Jones, President and CEO at Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation.

After being awarded $5.2 million in grants from the Tennessee Emergency Broadband Fund, United Communications kicked off a milestone project—making fiber available to 1,621 homes in portions of Bedford, Rutherford, Marshall, and Williamson counties before the new year. The company invested an additional $1.3 million of its own funding for this fiber buildout as well.

This milestone project is now complete, making way for more progress in 2021. Project UNITE made fiber available to 734 homes in Bedford and Rutherford counties, 640 homes in Marshall County, and 247 homes in Williamson County. Over 600 customers have upgraded to fiber already, and although the deadline for this fiber installation project was December 15th, residents of these areas can still upgrade their service, where available, by contacting United Communications.