ESCANABA, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Highline celebrates eight townships—Bark River, Cornell, Ford River, Lynn, Moore, Snover, Watertown, and Wells Townships—for being named Smart Rural Communities. These townships represent the areas where Highline has connected customers to its gigabit-speed fiber internet.
In early 2022, Highline was named a Smart Rural CommunitySM (SRC) provider by NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association. SRC is a national network of communities powered by innovative rural broadband providers that are building a brighter future for small-town America. The program promotes rural broadband and its role in supporting innovative economic development, effective education, efficient energy distribution and use, state-of-the-art health care, and other important issues for rural America.
“We appreciate NTCA’s recognition of our townships and celebrate the hard work each community and key player poured into earning the designation of a Smart Rural Community,” said Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-01). “It’s imperative that our rural communities can offer residents equitable access so they are equipped to fully participate in today’s connected society. I’m proud to witness and assist in the economic, business, and educational advancements gained from high-speed internet access for our district.”
Highline delivers its subscribers 100% broadband, at 1000/1000 Mbps. As a result of Highline’s national recognition, all eight of the communities it has connected to real high-speed internet will now be celebrated as Smart Rural Communities1 in program materials and online at www.smartruralcommunity.com, joining a national network of similarly innovative communities.
“Highline has proven that we can solve the Internet issues our customer previously experienced after being left behind by other telecom companies. Fast and reliable Internet access is what Michigan’s rural residents need and deserve,” said Bruce Moore, CEO of Highline-Midwest. “Our fiber-based gigabit internet – that is, 1,000 Mbps – provides its communities with a future-proof network.”
NTCA Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield also recognized Highline for this achievement, noting, “We are so excited that as a Smart Rural Community provider, Highline keeps increasing the number of SRCs in their area that are delivering the fastest speeds in some of the most remote and rural communities of our country. I applaud Highline and all of the SRCs for their commitment to enabling cutting-edge technologies that drive innovation and promote economic development in their region and nationwide.”
About Highline
At Highline, we believe everyone should have access to the fastest, most reliable internet service at a fair price, regardless of where you live and work. Highline’s heritage companies have been in the telecommunications business for more than 126 years and have built, owned, and operated fiber networks for more than 27 years. Highline currently serves the communication and internet needs of thousands of residents and businesses in Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. The company is actively expanding its state-of-the-art, lightning-fast Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) networks to provide gigabit-level internet speeds to tens of thousands of homes and businesses across the country that are currently unserved, underserved, and unhappily served.
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 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.
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1 To receive recognition as an SRC provider, Highline was required to affirm that it offers a minimum of 25/3 Mbps broadband to at least 50% of its service area, that it has broadband subscription rates of at least 50%, and that it is committed to program principles of collaboration and innovation.
