Cumberland Connect Brings Broadband to the Community
Sponsored by: Cumberland Connect
In a world that runs on connections, reliable and fast internet service is a must. Cumberland Connect brings the world to its members, no matter how far off the beaten path they live or work.
The entirely local, nonprofit broadband subsidiary of Cumberland Electric Membership Corp, Cumberland Connect provides high-speed broadband internet to its members throughout the furthest corners of Tennessee’s Cheatham, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart and Sumner counties. When the 2017 Broadband Accessibility Act allowed rural cooperatives to begin offering broadband to their members, it included a requirement for universal service.
“Until this Act, electric co-op members in our most rural territories couldn’t get internet service because it wasn’t profitable for the for-profit internet providers and they weren’t required to offer it,” says Mark Cook, broadband manager for Cumberland Connect. “Because we’ve chosen to provide broadband service, the law requires that we offer it to all the people we serve with electricity. We would have done it regardless, because we’re here to serve our community. Five years into our existence, Cumberland Connect is 100% built out, meaning we’re in the most rural parts of our territory. I like to say our organization changes lives, because we have done what we said we would do.”
Personal Touch
The organization wants every home, business, school and hospital to have access to the best “don’t have to think about it” communications technology available. It’s big-city internet, with a small-town feel.
“We’ve built a state-of-the-art network, and we pride ourselves on our speed and reliability,” says Seth Roberts, Cumberland Connect member services manager. “And as a member-owned, transparent organization, we also pride ourselves on ‘no gimmicks.’ We’re very up-front about the service, quality and price. What you see is what you get.”
That includes 24/7 technical support, no hidden fees or teaser rates and no data caps or throttled speeds.
What members – families and businesses, students and seniors – get is the benefit of a reliable, dependable fiber network delivered by an entirely local workforce.
“Living out in the country doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice access to internet service,” Roberts says. “And when our members call us, they are getting a local representative – we joke that ‘we speak Tennessee.’ We live, work and play in this area, and that ties right into our reliability. When our crews are working out in the field, they are serving their neighbors, and our members appreciate the level of service that comes with that. That’s a big differentiator between us and some of our competitors.”
People, Not Profits
In addition to great service, Cumberland Connect prides itself on offering high-quality technology.
“We don’t necessarily have the same name recognition as some of the large national companies, but we have the same or better technology than any of them,” Cook says. “What members get along with that is the small-town feel. And if they have business with us, they actually already own the company.”
“Because we are member-owned and nonprofit, we are night and day from what people are used to with the other companies,” Cook says. “That’s what we bring to the game – we’re right here, and we spend our time figuring out how much more we can give our members and how we can charge them the least amount of money for it. When we do have service interruptions, which are rare, we respond within minutes, and we notify everyone affected. How are we different? We really care.”
That shows up in how the organization strives to live its values: Do the right thing. Take care of people. Build the best. Make things happen. Improve lives.
“We’re about people, not profits,” Roberts says. “We’re built by our employees who are members of this community. We sponsor community organizations and schools throughout our service territory. But in addition to that, our employees are part of their local communities – they volunteer at local events, they are Little League coaches – it’s all a big part of our co-op culture and concern, giving back to the communities we serve. We’re here for the benefit of our community, to support the communities we live in. Connecting our communities and connecting with each other.”
Member testimonials tell the story, from students in rural Tennessee areas who can now do their homework at home instead of having to drive to the nearest hotspot, to seniors who can do routine checkups via telehealth, saving them time, money and hassle.
“Members have told us that we’ve literally changed their lives, because we did what no one else was going to do,” Cook says. “That makes it all worthwhile for us.”
For more information about Cumberland Connect, visit cumberlandconnect.org.