Smithville Communications certified as high-speed Gig-Capable Provider by NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association

Innovative technology deployed by Smithville Communications certified capable of delivering up 1,000 Mbps (gigabit level), including symmetrical service.

ARLINGTON, Virginia–Smithville Communications has been recognized by NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association as a Certified Gig-Capable Provider for delivering gigabit broadband speeds and enabling technological innovation in the Ellettsville, French Lick, Jasper, Smithville, Gosport, Lizton, and Griffin rural communities of Indiana.

“Professional peer recognition of Smithville’s capacity to deliver highly reliable, high-speed broadband in rural communities represents a credit to our outstanding employees for their commitment to legendary service and to our company’s leadership—Darby and Cullen McCarty—for their willingness to make strategic investments in Indiana’s broadband future,” said Paul Quick, Smithville President. “We are grateful for the national recognition of our technology innovations and achievements and look forward to raising the standard of excellence even further.”

In its recognition as a Certified Gig-Capable Provider, Smithville Communications becomes part of a national awareness effort that provides industry recognition of community-based telecom providers that have built advanced communications networks capable of delivering Internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second. Gigabit-level service represents a standard that is 100 times faster than those currently available in many U.S. households. Smithville will be further recognized for this advanced capacity in NTCA media, on the NTCA website, and during association conferences and events.

“I applaud Smithville for its commitment to delivering the Internet’s fastest speeds—an accomplishment worthy of much praise considering the unique and challenging circumstances small, community-based telecommunications providers operate under every day in serving some of our country’s most rural and remote communities,” said NTCA Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield. “By building a gigabit-capable network, Smithville has not only overcome these challenges, but also shattered conventional benchmarks for broadband speed to enable cutting-edge technologies that drive innovation and promote economic development in their communities, region and nationwide.”

To achieve certification, telecommunications companies must show that gigabit technology is currently commercially available within 95% of one or more exchanges within its serving territory and that such service can be provided without new trenching or stringing new aerial facilities. This statement must be confirmed by a letter from an engineering firm or other independent source involved in the company’s network planning, deployment or operation.

The NCTA recognition adds to Smithville’s established reputation for delivering innovative, high-speed service. The company was named a national Top 100 Broadband provider for the 10th straight year by Broadband Communities magazine earlier in 2018.

More information about the NTCA Gig-Capable Provider certification program is available at www.ntca.org/gigcertified.

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About Smithville

Nationally recognized for more than a decade as a Top 100 Broadband Company, privately owned Smithville Communications is Indiana’s largest independent telecom company with more than 200 employees. With an earned reputation as a communications technology innovator, Smithville is presently deploying Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) and other enhanced fiber services to its business and residential customers. It launched its “Best Speed Available” service in 2017, eliminating speed tiers and data caps for its internet service, regardless of platform (fiber or copper). These services, which range up to 100 Gbps for enterprise operations, provide a platform for the fastest connectivity available in Indiana to business, institutions and consumers. In addition to its residential services, Smithville provides commercial fiber-based connectivity, data consulting, network management and managed services for businesses, university campuses, biotechnology companies, healthcare providers, government offices, residential centers, communities, and other entities, including the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park and the Purdue Research Park. Smithville also manages a legacy copper communication network in rural south-central Indiana, and a system-wide fiber-to-the-cabinet upgrade has improved speeds and reliability across its copper-based network. The company currently serves about 23,000 businesses and residences in southern and central Indiana. For more information, please visit www.smithville.com.

About NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association

NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. NTCA advocates on behalf of its members in the legislative and regulatory arenas, and it provides training and development; publications and industry events; and an array of employee benefit programs. In an era of transformative technological advancements, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are leading the technological evolution for rural consumers, delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture, and education and contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.