Southern Indiana Business Report
MONTGOMERY — Loogootee and portions of surrounding rural areas are expected to have fiber internet access by the end of November, according to a July 19 announcement from Montgomery-based RTC Communications. The multi-million-dollar fiber deployment will impact roughly 2,200 residents and businesses.
“The pandemic amplified the awareness and the need for high-speed, reliable internet across the globe to stay connected to what matters most, and we are here as your local provider to do just that,” said RTC Communications CEO Kirk Lehman.
RTC’s leadership sees the firm’s Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) network expansion as a key part of bringing new community and communications-based initiatives to reality, such as support for economic development, business expansion, eLearning, telehealth and teleworking. Once the network is deployed, community members will have access to 1 Gig synchronous broadband with robust network management tools, including built-in redundancy.
“RTC’s investment in Loogootee is a milestone for enhancing the quality of life in the area while also adding to our county’s competitive advantage for future growth and investments,” said Angie Risacher, executive director of the Martin County Alliance for Economic Development. “With community ventures like this, we have opportunities for population, housing, school programs and business growth,”
Loogootee Mayor Noel Harty called high-speed, reliable, fiber internet the “backbone of modern life in the 21st century.” He continued, “We are grateful to have a partner like RTC Communications to bring fiber optic broadband to the city of Loogootee rapidly.”
Early signup will determine where the network is built first and how quickly neighborhoods are connected to the network. Community members are encouraged to call RTC at 812-486-3211 to fill out the pre-signup form. Starting Monday, July 26, the form will also be available at fiber2myhome.com.
Lehman said the firm continues aggressively identifying and developing grant applications and strategic community partnerships to ensure all residents are served throughout Daviess, Martin and Lawrence counties.
“We are here to ‘change lives one connection at a time by connecting you to what matters most’ and committed to being the area’s premier communications provider,” stated Lehman. “We promise that we will never stop seeking ways to improve and innovate products and services for the communities we serve with smiles on our faces.”
About RTC Communications
Daviess-Martin County Rural Telephone Corporation, better known as RTC Communications, was incorporated as a non-profit corporation on Oct. 27, 1949, by a group of 45 farmers. In August 2019, RTC announced its largest fiber expansion impacting over 5,500 premise locations into the City of Washington. Partnering with state and local officials, RTC Communications provides state-of-the-art fiber optic services to Daviess, Martin and Lawrence counties.